Arterial supply of the trunk

Question 1

What is the aorta?

Answer 1

The artery that supplies the whole systemic circulation. It arises from the heart and gives major branches to the head, neck and upper limbs before descending the posterior wall

Question 2

Where is the descending aorta located?

Answer 2

Along the posterior body wall just in front and slightly to the left the thoracic and lumbar vertebral bodies

Question 3

What does the aorta consist of?

Answer 3

The ascending aorta, aortic arch, descending thoracic aorta, and abdominal aorta.

Question 4

What vertebral level does the descending aorta pierce the diaphragm?

Answer 4

T12

Question 5

What does the abdominal aorta branch into?

Answer 5

Common iliac arteries which then branch into internal and external iliac arteries

Question 6

What vertebral level does the aortic arch begin and end?

Answer 6

T4

Question 7

What vertebral level does the abdominal aorta bifurcate?

Answer 7

L4

Question 8

At what vertebral level do the common iliac arteries bifurcate into external and internal?

Answer 8

S2
(in front of the sacroiliac joint)

Question 9

What are the branches of the ascending aorta? (2)

Answer 9

Left and right coronary arteries

Question 10

What are the branches of the aortic arch? (3)

Answer 10

Brachiocephalic trunk
Left common carotid artery
Left subclavian artery

Question 11

What does the brachiocephalic artery split into?

Answer 11

Right common carotid artery
Right subclavian artery

Question 12

What are the main branches if the descending aorta? (4)

Answer 12

Posterior intercostal arteries
Oesophageal arteries
Bronchial arteries
Mediastinal branches

Question 13

What does the neurovascular bundle between each rib contain?

Answer 13

Intercostal vein
Intercostal artery
Intercostal nerve

Question 14

Where do abdominal aortic branches supply?

Answer 14

Diaphragm
Adrenals
Kidneys
Gonads
Gut tube

Question 15

At which vertebral level does the common iliac artery bifurcate into internal/external iliac arteries?

Answer 15

L5

Question 16

What does the external iliac artery supply?

Answer 16

Becomes femoral arteries in the thigh

Question 17

What does the internal iliac artery supply?

Answer 17

Pelvic viscera

Question 18

Where do the internal thoracic arteries arise from?

Answer 18

Subclavian arteries

Question 19

Where do the internal thoracic arteries lie?

Answer 19

Anteriorly and parasternal, accompanies by the internal thoracic veins

Question 20

What do the internal thoracic arteries give off?

Answer 20

Anterior intercostal arteries which travel in intercostal space

Question 21

What do the intercostal arteries anastomose with?

Answer 21

Each anterior intercostal artery anastomoses with its corresponding posterior intercostal artery which is given off by the descending aorta

Question 22

What is also supplied by branches of the internal thoracic arteries?

Answer 22

Breast
Fibrous pericardium
Parietal pleura
Diaphragm