Medical Gross Anatomy
Anatomy Tables - Arteries of the Back
Artery Source Branches Supply to Notes
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.
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
cervical, ascending inferior thyroid a. unnamed muscular branches deep muscles of the neck ascending cervical a. ascends on the anterior surface of the anterior scalene m. beside the phrenic n.
cervical, deep costocervical trunk unnamed muscular branches deep muscles of the posterior neck deep cervical a. anastomoses with the occipital a. near the occipital bone
cervical, transverse thyrocervical trunk unnamed muscular branches, possibly the dorsal scapular a. trapezius muscle and surrounding tissues transverse cervical a. gives rise to the dorsal scapular a. ~30% of the time
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
deep cervical costocervical trunk unnamed muscular branches deep muscles of the posterior neck deep cervical a. anastomoses with the occipital a. near the occipital bone
dorsal scapular subclavian a., 3rd part unnamed muscular branches levator scapulae m., rhomboideus major m., rhomboideus minor m. dorsal scapular a. anastomoses with the suprascapular a. and the subscapular a. to form the scapular anastomosis; dorsal scapular a is a branch of the transverse cervical a. in ~30% of cases
great anterior radicular 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
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 sacral internal iliac a., posterior division spinal brs. sacrum, sacral nerve rootlets, meninges, adjacent muscles there are usually 2 lateral sacral aa. on each side, a superior one and an inferior one
lumbar abdominal aorta anterior br., posterior br., spinal br. psoas major m., psoas minor m., quadratus lumborum m., spinal cord and vertebral column, deep back muscles the 4 lumbar arteries on each side arise from the posterior surface of the aorta at the level of vertebrae L1-L4; they course posterior to the psoas major m.
median sacral abdominal aorta 5th lumbar aa. sacrum median sacral a. appears to be the continuation of the abdominal aorta in the median plane, although it is much smaller in size
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.
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.
sacral, lateral internal iliac a., posterior division spinal brs. sacrum, sacral nerve rootlets, meninges, adjacent muscles there are usually 2 lateral sacral aa. on each side, a superior one and an inferior one
sacral, median abdominal aorta 5th lumbar aa. sacrum median sacral a. appears to be the continuation of the abdominal aorta in the median plane, although it is much smaller in size
scapular, circumflex subscapular a. unnamed muscular branches teres major m., teres minor m., infraspinatus m. circumflex scapular a. anastomoses with the suprascapular a. and the dorsal scapular a. to form the scapular anastomosis
scapular, dorsal subclavian a., 3rd part unnamed muscular branches levator scapulae m., rhomboideus major m., rhomboideus minor m. dorsal scapular a. anastomoses with the suprascapular a. and the subscapular a. to form the scapular anastomosis; dorsal scapular a is a branch of the transverse cervical a. in ~30% of cases
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.
thoracodorsal subscapular a. unnamed muscular branches latissimus dorsi m. thoracodorsal a. accompanies the thoracodorsal n.
transverse cervical thyrocervical trunk unnamed muscular branches, possibly the dorsal scapular a. trapezius muscle and surrounding tissues transverse cervical a. gives rise to the dorsal scapular a. ~30% of the time
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, thyrocervical subclavian a., 1st part inferior thyroid a., transverse cervical a., suprascapular a. lower neck, posterior shoulder, thyroid gland thyrocervical trunk does not give rise to the ascending cervical a.- it is a branch of the inferior thyroid a.
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

The material presented in these tables is contained in the book:
MedCharts Anatomy by Thomas R. Gest & Jaye Schlesinger
Published by ILOC, Inc., New York
Copyright © 1995, unauthorized use prohibited.
 The excellent editorial assistance of
Dr. Pat Tank, UAMS
is gratefully acknowledged.
Copyright© 2000 The University of Michigan. Unauthorized use prohibited.
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