Arteries of the Upper Limb Quiz

Arteries of the Upper Limb

• The axillary artery becomes the brachial artery at the level of the teres major muscle.
• The brachial artery is the main source of blood for the arm.
• The posterior and anterior circumflex humeral arteries arise at the level of the teres major muscle.
• The subscapular artery, the largest branch of the axillary artery, arises from the axillary artery.
• The posterior interosseous artery supplies structures in the posterior aspect of the arm and terminates by contributing to a network of vessels at the elbow joint.
• The brachial artery becomes the main vessel for blood supply in the arm at the level of the teres major muscle.
• The brachial artery descends down the arm immediately posterior to the median nerve.
• The subclavian artery arises from the brachiocephalic trunk.
• The axillary artery is enclosed by the axillary sheath as it passes through the axilla.
• The subscapular artery is the largest branch of the axillary artery.
• The interosseous arteries supply the posterior aspect of the forearm and the anterior aspect in the distal region of the cubital fossa.
• The radial and ulnar arteries anastomose in the hand, forming two arches: the superficial and deep palmar arches.
• The radial artery moves into the hand anteriorly to the flexor retinaculum, laterally to the ulnar nerve, and divides into two branches in the hand.
• The common palmar digital arteries arise from the superficial palmar arch, supplying the digits in the hand.
• The dorsal branch of the radial artery enters the hand dorsally, crossing the floor of the anatomical snuffbox, and turns medially between the heads of the adductor pollicis.
• The princeps pollicis artery contributes mainly to supply the thumb and the lateral side of the index finger in the hand.
• The radialis indicis artery contributes mainly to supply the rest of the digits and the medial side of the index finger in the hand.
• The superficial palmar arch is found superficial to the flexor tendons in the hand.

Arteries of the Lower Limb

• The femoral artery can be accessed superficially within the femoral triangle for clinical procedures such as coronary angiography.
• The femoral artery descends down the posterior thigh, giving rise to genicular branches that supply the knee joint.
• An aneurysm of the popliteal artery may compress the tibial nerve.
• The anterior tibial artery supplies the dorsal aspect of the metatarsals and contributes to the supply of the toes via the deep plantar arch.
• The main source of blood for the lower limb is located at the external iliac artery.
• The posterior tibial artery enters the sole of the foot through the tarsal tunnel and then splits into lateral and medial plantar arteries.
• An aneurysm of the popliteal artery may lead to a loss of arterial pulsation in the popliteal fossa.
• The anterior tibial artery passes anteriorly between the tibia and fibula, and then moves inferiorly down the leg before becoming the dorsalis pedis artery.
• An aneurysm of the popliteal artery may have consequences for other contents within the popliteal fossa, such as the tibial nerve.
• The fibular artery gives rise to perforating branches, which penetrate intermuscular septum to supply muscles in the lateral compartment of the leg.
• The external iliac artery is the main artery of the lower limb.
• The profunda femoris artery arises from the femoral artery.
• The medial femoral circumflex artery wraps round the anterior, lateral side of the femur.
• Damage to the medial femoral circumflex artery may occur in a fracture of the femoral neck.
• The femoral artery continues down the anterior surface of the thigh through the adductor canal.
• The external iliac artery becomes the femoral artery at the inguinal ligament.
• The perforating branches of the femoral artery supply muscles in the anterior compartment of the thigh.