The suboccipital triangle is a region of the neck bounded by the following three muscles of the suboccipital group of muscles: (Rectus capitis posterior minor is also in this region but does not form part of the triangle) It is covered by a layer of dense fibro-fatty tissue, situated beneath the semispinalis capitis.
In the deep groove on the upper surface of the posterior arch of the atlas are the vertebral artery and the first cervical or suboccipital nerve.
In the past, the vertebral artery was accessed here in order to conduct angiography of the circle of Willis.
1) Third part of vertebral artery 2) Dorsal ramus of nerve C1-suboccipital nerve 3) Suboccipital venous plexus The purpose of these muscles is to provide fine motor function in movements of the head.
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 402 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)