| Artery |
Source |
Branches |
Supply to |
Notes |
| anterior intercostal |
internal thoracic a. (upper 6 intercostal spaces),
musculophrenic a. (7-10th intercostal spaces) |
unnamed muscular branches |
intercostal muscles anteriorly; skin overlying the
intercostal muscles |
there are two anterior intercostal aa. per side per
intercostal space, one coursing above and one coursing below each rib |
| anterior radicular |
they arise as multiple branches of several vessels (vertebral,
posterior intercostal, lumbar, and lateral sacral aa.) |
they accompany the ventral rootlets to reach the spinal
cord |
meninges; spinal cord; spinal nerve; ventral rootlets |
anterior radicular aa. anastomose with the anterior
spinal a. |
| anterior spinal |
contributions received from several arteries (vertebral,
posterior intercostal, subcostal, lumbar, lateral sacral aa.) |
pial arterial plexus |
meninges; spinal cord; medulla (dorsal motor nucleus of
cranial nerve X, nucleus ambiguus, spinal accessory nucleus and
hypoglossal nucleus) |
anterior spinal a. anastomoses with the anterior
radicular brs. of the spinal rami of the vertebral, posterior
intercostal, subcostal, lumbar and lateral sacral aa. |
| aorta, ascending |
left ventricle of the heart |
left and right coronary aa. |
heart, entire body |
ascending aorta is the shortest part of the aorta; it
continues as the aortic arch |
| aorta, descending thoracic |
continuation of aortic arch |
posterior intercostal aa. 3-11, subcostal aa., left
bronchial aa. (2), esophageal aa. (~3), mediastinal brs., superior
phrenic aa. |
thoracic wall, lungs, posterior mediastinum, body below
the respiratory diaphragm |
descending thoracic aorta passes posterior to the
diaphragm (aortic hiatus) at the level of the T12 vertebral body; it is
continuous with the abdominal aorta |
| aortic arch |
the continuation of the ascending aorta |
brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid a., left
subclavian a. |
the entire body except the heart |
aortic arch continues as the descending thoracic aorta;
the fibrous ligamentum arteriosum connects to the inferior surface of
the aortic arch and it marks the location of the fetal ductus arteriosus
aortic arch continues as the descending thoracic aorta |
| artery to the atrioventricular node |
right coronary a. near the point where it becomes the
posterior interventricular a. |
no named branches |
atrioventricular node and the surrounding myocardium |
artery to the atrioventricular node is located at the
junction of the coronary sulcus and the posterior interventricular
sulcus |
| artery to the sinuatrial node |
right coronary a. |
no named branches |
sinuatrial node and the surrounding myocardium |
artery to the sinuatrial node is important artery to
locate during cardiac surgical procedures |
| ascending aorta |
left ventricle of the heart |
left and right coronary aa. |
heart, entire body |
ascending aorta is the shortest part of the aorta; it
continues as the aortic arch |
| axillary |
subclavian a. (axillary a. is the continuation of the
subclavian lateral to the 1st rib) |
1st part: superior thoracic a.; 2nd part:
thoracoacromial a., lateral thoracic a.; 3rd part: anterior humeral
circumflex a., posterior humeral circumflex a., subscapular a. |
pectoral region, shoulder region and upper limb |
pectoralis minor m. crosses anterior to the axillary
artery and is used to delineate the 3 parts mentioned at left |
| brachiocephalic trunk |
aortic arch |
right common carotid a., right subclavian a. |
right side of the head and neck; right upper limb and
right side of the chest wall |
there is only one brachiocephalic trunk |
| bronchial, left |
descending thoracic aorta |
right bronchial a. (occasionally) |
lower trachea, bronchial tree |
there are usually two left bronchial aa. |
| bronchial, right |
3rd right posterior intercostal |
no named branches |
lower trachea, bronchial tree |
right bronchial a. may arise from the left bronchial a. |
| carotid, common |
brachiocephalic trunk (right), aortic arch (left) |
external carotid a., internal carotid a. |
most of the head and upper neck |
common carotid a. bifurcates at the level of the
superior border of the thyroid cartilage; the internal carotid a. and
the external carotid a. are its terminal brs.; the carotid sinus and
carotid body are located at the bifurcation |
| circumflex |
left coronary a. |
marginal br., possibly posterior artery of the left
ventricle |
posterior surface of the left ventricle |
circumflex a. courses in the atrioventricular (coronary)
sulcus |
| communicating, posterior |
internal carotid a. |
perforating aa. |
an anastomotic connection |
a vessel of anastomosis which connects the internal
carotid a. to the posterior cerebral a.; part of the cerebral arterial
circle (of Willis) |
| coronary, left |
ascending aorta |
anterior interventricular a., circumflex a. |
left ventricle, left atrium, anterosuperior 2/3 of the
interventricular septum |
left coronary a. arises superior to the left cusp of
the aortic semilunar valve; during its short course, it is located in
the coronary sulcus; the anterior interventricular a. and the circumflex
a. are its terminal brs. |
| coronary, right |
ascending aorta |
sinuatrial nodal a., right marginal a., posterior
interventricular a., atrioventricular nodal a. |
right ventricle, right atrium, inferior 1/3 of the
interventricular septum |
right coronary a. usually provides the posterior
interventricular a.; it courses within the coronary sulcus |
| costocervical trunk |
subclavian a., 2nd part |
deep cervical a., highest intercostal a. |
deep muscles of the posterior neck; posterior ends of
the first 2 intercostal spaces |
costocervical trunk is located between the anterior
scalene m. and the middle scalene m.; it arches posteriorly over the
cervical parietal pleura |
| epigastric, superior |
internal thoracic a. |
no named branches |
upper rectus abdominis m., upper abdominal wall |
superior epigastric a. is the direct continuation of
the internal thoracic a.; it s anastomoses with the inferior epigastric
a. within the rectus abdominis m. |
| esophageal |
descending thoracic aorta; left gastric a. |
no named branches |
lower 2/3rds of the thoracic esophagus |
there are usually two (sometimes 3) esophageal brs. off
of the aorta; the left gastric a. gives esophageal brs. that ascend to
supply the abdominal esophagus and lowest part of the thoracic esophagus;
anastomoses occur between the esophageal brs. of the aorta and left
gastric a. |
| intercostal, anterior |
internal thoracic a. (upper 6 intercostal spaces),
musculophrenic a. (7-10th intercostal spaces) |
unnamed muscular branches |
intercostal muscles anteriorly; skin overlying the
intercostal muscles |
there are two anterior intercostal aa. per side per
intercostal space, one coursing above and one coursing below each rib |
| intercostal, highest |
costocervical trunk |
posterior intercostal aa. for intercostal spaces 1-2 |
intercostal muscles of intercostal spaces 1 and 2,
vertebral column, deep back muscles |
highest intercostal a. is also known as: supreme
intercostal a. |
| intercostal, posterior |
highest intercostal (upper 2 intercostal spaces),
descending thoracic aorta (3rd-11th intercostal spaces) |
posterior br., spinal br., anterior br., collateral br.,
lateral cutaneous br. |
intercostal muscles, spinal cord and vertebral column,
deep back muscles, skin and superficial fascia overlying the intercostal
spaces |
posterior intercostal aa. supply the lateral and
posterior portions of the intercostal space; anterior intercostal aa.
supply the anterior portions of the intercostal spaces |
| lateral thoracic |
axillary, 2nd part |
unnamed muscular branches |
serratus anterior m., parts of adjacent muscles, skin
and fascia of the anterolateral thoracic wall |
lateral thoracic a. is a rare case in that it enters
the serratus anterior from its superficial surface |
| left coronary |
ascending aorta |
anterior interventricular a., circumflex a. |
left ventricle, left atrium, anterosuperior 2/3 of the
interventricular septum |
left coronary a. arises superior to the left cusp of
the aortic semilunar valve; during its short course, it is located in
the coronary sulcus; the anterior interventricular a. and the circumflex
a. are its terminal brs. |
| mammary, lateral |
lateral thoracic a. |
no named branches |
lateral side of the mammary gland |
mammary gland is a specialization of the skin and is
supplied by superficial (cutaneous) arteries |
| mammary, medial |
perforating brs. of the internal thoracic a. |
no named branches |
medial side of the mammary gland |
mammary gland is a specialization of the skin and is
supplied by superficial (cutaneous) arteries |
| musculophrenic |
internal thoracic a. |
anterior intercostal aa. |
anterior diaphragm, anterior aspects of intercostal
spaces 7-10 or 11 |
musculophrenic a. supplies muscles that develop in the
septum transversum |
| nodal, atrioventricular |
right coronary a. near the point where it becomes the
posterior interventricular a. |
no named branches |
atrioventricular node and the surrounding myocardium |
artery to the atrioventricular node is located at the
junction of the coronary sulcus and the posterior interventricular
sulcus |
| nodal, sinuatrial |
right coronary a. |
no named branches |
sinuatrial node and the surrounding myocardium |
sinuatrial nodal a. is an important artery to locate
during cardiac surgical procedures |
| pericardiacophrenic |
internal thoracic a. |
pericardial br., sternal br., mediastinal br. |
pericardial sac, pleura, diaphragm |
pericardiacophrenic a. accompanies the phrenic n. |
| pericardial |
pericardiacophrenic a. |
no named branches |
pericardial sac |
pericardial a. courses on the external surface of the
pericardial sac |
| phrenic, inferior |
abdominal aorta |
superior suprarenal aa. |
diaphragm, suprarenal gland |
inferior phrenic a. is the first abdominal branch of
the aorta; it may arise from the celiac trunk |
| phrenic, superior |
descending thoracic aorta (2 small brs.) |
no named branches |
diaphragm |
superior phrenic a. anastomoses with the musculophrenic
a. and the pericardiacophrenic a. |
| posterior intercostal |
highest intercostal (upper 2 intercostal spaces),
descending thoracic aorta (3rd-11th intercostal spaces) |
posterior br., spinal br., anterior br., collateral br.,
lateral cutaneous br. |
intercostal muscles, spinal cord and vertebral column,
deep back muscles, skin and superficial fascia overlying the intercostal
spaces |
posterior intercostal aa. supply the lateral and
posterior portions of the intercostal space; anterior intercostal aa.
supply the anterior portions of the intercostal spaces |
| posterior radicular |
they arise as multiple branches of several vessels (vertebral,
posterior intercostal, lumbar, and lateral sacral aa.) |
no named branches |
meninges; spinal cord; spinal nerve; dorsal rootlets |
posterior radicular aa. accompany the dorsal rootlets;
they anastomose with the posterior spinal aa. |
| posterior spinal |
contributions received from several arteries (posterior
inferior cerebellar, vertebral, posterior intercostal, subcostal, lumbar,
lateral sacral aa.) |
pial arterial plexus |
spinal cord, especially the dorsal columns; medulla (nucleus
cuneatus and nucleus gracilis) |
paired; posterior spinal aa. anastomose with the
posterior radicular brs. of the spinal rami of the vertebral, posterior
intercostal, subcostal, lumbar and lateral sacral aa. |
| pulmonary trunk |
right ventricle |
right pulmonary a., left pulmonary aa. |
lungs |
the pulmonary trunk carries deoxygenated blood from the
heart to the right and left pulmonary aa.; each pulmonary a. carries
deoxygenated blood to the hilum of one lung; bronchial aa. supply
oxygenated blood to the tissues of the lung as far distally in the
bronchial tree as the respiratory bronchioles |
| radicular, anterior |
they arise as multiple branches of several vessels (vertebral,
posterior intercostal, lumbar, and lateral sacral aa.) |
they accompany the ventral rootlets to reach the spinal
cord |
meninges; spinal cord; spinal nerve; ventral rootlets |
anterior radicular aa. anastomose with the anterior
spinal a. |
| radicular, great anterior |
the spinal br. of the lower posterior intercostal a.,
subcostal a., or upper lumbar a., usually on left |
no named branches |
lower spinal cord |
great anterior radicular a. anastomoses with the
anterior spinal a. at lower thoracic or upper lumbar spinal cord levels |
| radicular, posterior |
they arise as multiple branches of several vessels (vertebral,
posterior intercostal, lumbar, and lateral sacral aa.) |
no named branches |
meninges; spinal cord; spinal nerve; dorsal rootlets |
posterior radicular aa. accompany the dorsal rootlets;
they anastomose with the posterior spinal aa. |
| right coronary |
ascending aorta |
sinuatrial nodal a., right marginal a., posterior
interventricular a., atrioventricular nodal a. |
right ventricle, right atrium, inferior 1/3 of the
interventricular septum |
right coronary a. usually provides the posterior
interventricular a.; it courses within the coronary sulcus |
| sinuatrial nodal |
right coronary a. |
no named branches |
sinuatrial node and the surrounding myocardium |
sinuatrial nodal a. is an important artery to locate
during cardiac surgical procedures |
| spinal, anterior |
contributions received from several arteries (vertebral,
posterior intercostal, subcostal, lumbar, lateral sacral aa.) |
pial arterial plexus |
meninges; spinal cord; medulla (dorsal motor nucleus of
cranial nerve X, nucleus ambiguus, spinal accessory nucleus and
hypoglossal nucleus) |
the anterior spinal a. anastomoses with the anterior
radicular brs. of the spinal rami of the vertebral, posterior
intercostal, subcostal, lumbar and lateral sacral aa. |
| spinal, posterior |
contributions received from several arteries (posterior
inferior cerebellar, vertebral, posterior intercostal, subcostal, lumbar,
lateral sacral aa.) |
pial arterial plexus |
spinal cord, especially the dorsal columns; medulla (nucleus
cuneatus and nucleus gracilis) |
paired; posterior spinal aa. anastomose with the
posterior radicular brs. of the spinal rami of the vertebral, posterior
intercostal, subcostal, lumbar and lateral sacral aa. |
| subclavian |
brachiocephalic a. (right), aortic arch (left) |
1st part: vertebral a., thyrocervical trunk, internal
thoracic a.; 2nd part: costocervical trunk; 3rd part: dorsal scapular a.
(70%) |
neck, brain, spinal cord, thyroid gland, larynx,
shoulder, chest muscles, upper limb |
subclavian a. is continuous with the axillary a., the
name change occurs at the lateral border of the first rib; anterior
scalene muscle passes anterior to the subclavian a., dividing it into 3
parts |
| subcostal |
descending thoracic aorta |
spinal br., collateral br., lateral cutaneous br. |
vertebrae, spinal cord; muscles, skin & fascia of
the upper abdominal wall |
subcostal a. is equivalent to a posterior intercostal
a., but is named subcostal because it courses inferior to the 12th rib |
| superior epigastric |
internal thoracic a. |
no named branches |
upper rectus abdominis m., upper abdominal wall |
superior epigastric a. is the direct continuation of
the internal thoracic a.; it s anastomoses with the inferior epigastric
a. within the rectus abdominis m. |
| thoracic, internal |
subclavian a. (1st part) |
pericardiocophrenic a., perforating brs., anterior
intercostal aa., mediastinal brs., thymic brs., musculophrenic a.,
superior epigastric a. |
mediastinum, anterior thoracic wall, anterior abdominal
wall, respiratory diaphragm |
internal thoracic a. is also known as: internal mammary
a. |
| thoracic, lateral |
axillary a., 2nd part |
unnamed muscular branches |
serratus anterior m., parts of adjacent muscles, skin
and fascia of the anterolateral thoracic wall |
lateral thoracic a. is a rare case in that it enters
the serratus anterior from its superficial surface |
| thoracic, superior |
axillary a., 1st part |
unnamed muscular branches |
muscles of intercostal spaces 1 and 2 |
superior thoracic a. anastomoses with the intercostal
aa. for intercostal spaces 1 and 2 |
| thoracoacromial |
axillary a., 2nd part |
pectoral br., clavicular br., acromial br., deltoid br. |
pectoralis major m., pectoralis minor m., subclavius
m., deltoid m., shoulder joint |
thoracoacromial trunk pierces the costocoracoid
membrane |
| trunk, brachiocephalic |
aortic arch |
right common carotid a., right subclavian a. |
right side of the head and neck; right upper limb and
right side of the chest wall |
there is only one brachiocephalic trunk |
| trunk, costocervical |
subclavian a., 2nd part |
deep cervical a., highest intercostal a. |
deep muscles of the posterior neck; posterior ends of
the first 2 intercostal spaces |
costocervical trunk is located between the anterior
scalene m. and the middle scalene m.; it arches posteriorly over the
cervical parietal pleura |
| trunk, pulmonary |
right ventricle |
right pulmonary a., left pulmonary aa. |
lungs |
the pulmonary trunk carries deoxygenated blood from the
heart to the right and left pulmonary aa.; each pulmonary a. carries
deoxygenated blood to the hilum of one lung; bronchial aa. supply
oxygenated blood to the tissues of the lung as far distally in the
bronchial tree as the respiratory bronchioles |
| vertebral |
subclavian a.(1st part) |
spinal brs., muscular brs., anterior spinal a.,
posterior inferior cerebellar a., medullary brs., meningeal brs.,
basilar a. |
deep neck, cervical spinal cord, spinal cord; medulla (dorsal
motor nucleus of cranial nerve X, nucleus ambiguus, spinal accessory
nucleus and hypoglossal nucleus) |
vertebral a. anastomoses with the internal carotid a.
in the cerebral arterial circle (of Willis); it courses through the
transverse foramina of vertebrae C1-C6 |
Potete
inviare a