Arterial Tree of the Human Body – Study Note

1. AORTA AND ITS DIVISIONS

• Origin: Left ventricle → Aortic root

• Segments:

  1. Ascending aorta

     • First branches: Right and left coronary arteries

  2. Aortic arch

     • Branches (3):

       1. Brachiocephalic trunk → divides into
          • Right common carotid artery
          • Right subclavian artery

       2. Left common carotid artery

       3. Left subclavian artery

  3. Descending aorta

     • Divided into:
       • Thoracic aorta
       • Abdominal aorta

2. CORONARY ARTERIES

• Right Coronary Artery (RCA):

  • Courses in atrioventricular groove

  • Branches:

    • Posterior descending artery (PDA)

    • Posterolateral ventricular branches

    • Acute marginal branches

• Left Main Coronary Artery (LMCA):

  • Bifurcates into:

    • Left Anterior Descending (LAD): → gives septal & diagonal branches

    • Circumflex (LCX): → gives obtuse marginal branches

3. UPPER LIMB ARTERIES

Subclavian artery (divided by scalenus anterior muscle):

• 1st Part:

  • Vertebral artery

  • Internal thoracic artery

  • Thyrocervical trunk →
    • Suprascapular artery
    • Inferior thyroid artery
    • Transverse cervical artery

• 2nd Part:

  • Costocervical trunk →
    • Superior intercostal artery
    • Deep cervical artery

• 3rd Part:

  • Dorsal scapular artery

Subclavian → Axillary artery (after 1st rib):

• Axillary artery parts (divided by pectoralis minor):

  • 1st part: Superior thoracic artery

  • 2nd part: Thoracoacromial & Lateral thoracic arteries

  • 3rd part: Subscapular, Anterior & Posterior humeral circumflex arteries

Axillary → Brachial artery (after teres major):

• Branches:
  • Profunda brachii
  • Superior & inferior ulnar collaterals

Brachial → Radial & Ulnar arteries

• Radial artery: → Radial recurrent artery, superficial palmar branch → continues as deep palmar arch

• Ulnar artery: → Anterior/posterior ulnar recurrent, common interosseous artery → forms superficial palmar arch

Palmar arches:

• Superficial palmar arch: → 4 common digital → proper digital arteries

• Deep palmar arch: → Princeps pollicis & Radialis indicis arteries

4. HEAD AND NECK ARTERIES

Common carotid artery → divides into:

• External carotid artery (ECA):

  • Anterior branches: Superior thyroid, lingual, facial

  • Posterior branches: Occipital, posterior auricular

  • Medial branch: Ascending pharyngeal

  • Terminal branches: Superficial temporal & maxillary

• Internal carotid artery (ICA):

  • No branches in neck

  • Intracranial branches:
    • Ophthalmic artery
    • Posterior communicating artery
    • Anterior choroidal artery
    • Ends as Anterior & Middle cerebral arteries

Vertebral arteries: join to form Basilar artery

• Branches:
  • Anterior spinal artery (from vertebral)
  • AICA, SCA, and pontine branches (from basilar)
  • Ends as Posterior cerebral arteries

Circle of Willis: connects anterior and posterior circulations.

5. DESCENDING THORACIC AORTA

• Begins: T4 vertebral level → ends at diaphragm (T12)

• Branches:

  • 9 pairs posterior intercostal arteries (3rd–11th)

  • 1 pair subcostal arteries

  • 1 pair superior phrenic arteries

  • Esophageal, mediastinal, and bronchial arteries

6. ABDOMINAL AORTA

• Extends: T12 (aortic hiatus) → L4 (bifurcation into common iliacs)

Paired branches:

• Lateral abdominal wall:
  • Inferior phrenic, 4 lumbar arteries

• Visceral branches:
  • Middle suprarenal
  • Renal
  • Gonadal (testicular/ovarian)

Unpaired anterior visceral branches:

1. Celiac trunk (T12): → Foregut structures

   • Left gastric

   • Splenic

   • Common hepatic

2. Superior mesenteric artery (L1): → Midgut structures

   • Inferior pancreaticoduodenal, right colic, middle colic, ileocolic, appendicular

3. Inferior mesenteric artery (L3): → Hindgut structures

   • Left colic, sigmoid, superior rectal

Other branches: Median sacral artery (posterior single branch)

7. PELVIC & LOWER LIMB ARTERIES

Common iliac →

• External iliac:

  • Inferior epigastric

  • Deep circumflex iliac

  • Continues as femoral artery

• Internal iliac:

  • Posterior division: Iliolumbar, lateral sacral, superior gluteal

  • Anterior division: Umbilical → superior vesical, obturator, inferior vesical (male) or vaginal (female), rectal, internal pudendal, inferior gluteal, uterine (female)

Femoral artery:

• Branches:

  • Superficial epigastric, superficial & deep external pudendal, superficial circumflex iliac

  • Profunda femoris → perforating, lateral & medial circumflex femoral arteries

  • Continues as superficial femoral artery → popliteal artery

Popliteal artery → anterior tibial & tibio-peroneal trunk

• Anterior tibial artery: → becomes dorsalis pedis artery at ankle

• Posterior tibial artery: → gives medial & lateral plantar arteries

  • Lateral plantar joins deep plantar branch of dorsalis pedis → plantar arch

• Peroneal (fibular) artery: branch of tibio-peroneal trunk

8. SUMMARY FLOW (Simplified Overview)

Left ventricle → Ascending aorta → Arch → Descending (thoracic → abdominal) → Common iliacs → External/internal iliac → Femoral → Popliteal → Tibial → Plantar/Dorsalis pedis