Supraclavicular Fossa (Hollow Above the Collarbone) – Meaning and Usage in Medical English

The supraclavicular fossa is the medical term for the hollow just above the collarbone, on each side of the base of the neck.

👁 What Does “Supraclavicular Fossa” Mean?

The term supraclavicular fossa literally means “the hollow above the clavicle.”

It comes from Latin: supra (above) + clavicula (clavicle) + fossa (ditch or depression).

In medicine, it refers to the small triangular hollow located between the clavicle and the base of the neck.

Healthcare professionals frequently use this term during physical examinations, imaging descriptions, and lymph node assessments.

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🔍 Clinical Usage

Clinically, the supraclavicular fossa is an important landmark because it contains lymph nodes, portions of the brachial plexus, and superficial vessels.

Doctors commonly refer to this area when:

• describing lymph node findings (e.g., enlarged supraclavicular nodes)
• documenting inspection and palpation results in examination notes
• reviewing CT scans, ultrasound reports, or chest X-rays
• assessing signs of infection, malignancy, or metastatic disease

You will often encounter phrases such as:

• “supraclavicular lymphadenopathy”
• “fullness in the supraclavicular fossa”
• “palpable node in the left supraclavicular area”

These expressions appear in patient charts, nursing notes, discharge summaries, and radiology reports.

Example sentence:

“A firm, enlarged node was palpated in the left supraclavicular fossa.”
→ This indicates an abnormal lymph node in a high-risk region.

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Supraclavicular Fossa – Learn how to pronounce it and remember how it’s used in real medical English.

🔗 Related Words

• Areola (Ring Around the Nipple)
• Jugular Notch (Sternal Notch)
• Midclavicular Line (MCL)
• Xiphoid Process (Tip of the Breastbone)

Browse every term in our Medical English Body Parts A–Z guide.