Aortic Arch and Great Vessels

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Aortic Arch and Great Vessels

Main Text

TERMINOLOGY

Abbreviations

• Aortic arch (AA); brachiocephalic trunk (BCT)
• Right common carotid arteries (RCCA)
• Left common carotid arteries (LCCA)
• Right subclavian arteries (RSCA)
• Left subclavian arteries (LSCA)
• Congenital heart disease (CHD)

Definitions

• Great vessels: Major vessels arising from AA (BCT, LCCA, LSCA)

GROSS ANATOMY

Overview

• Thoracic aorta has 4 major segments (ascending aorta, AA, aortic isthmus, descending aorta)
• Normal AA has 3 major branches (BCT, LCCA, LSCA)

IMAGING ANATOMY

Overview

• AA curves from right to left, slightly anterior to posterior in superior mediastinum

Anatomy Relationships

• Anterior: Vagus nerve (CNX)
• Posterior

Trachea

Esophagus

Left recurrent laryngeal nerve
• Superior

Great vessels

Left brachiocephalic vein
• Inferior

Pulmonary trunk

Left recurrent laryngeal nerve

Branches

• BCT (innominate artery)

1st (largest) AA branch

Arises from superior convexity of AA

Ascends anterior to trachea

At sternoclavicular level, bifurcates into RSCA, RCCA

RSCA branches

– Internal thoracic (mammary) artery (courses anteroinferiorly from RSCA)

– Right vertebral artery (courses superiorly from RSCA just distal to RCCA origin)

– Thyrocervical trunk (gives off 2 major branches: Inferior thyroid artery and its ascending cervical, laryngeal and pharyngeal branches; suprascapular artery)

– Costocervical trunk (gives off superior intercostal, deep cervical arteries)

RCCA branches

– Bifurcates into internal carotid artery (ICA), external carotid artery (ECA)
• Left common carotid artery

Arises from AA distal to BCT

Ascends in front of, then lateral to, trachea

Anteromedial to internal jugular vein

Branches into left ICA, ECA at level of upper thyroid cartilage

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Tags: Imaging Anatomy Brain and Spine

Mar 13, 2021 | Posted by admin in NUCLEAR MEDICINE | Comments Off

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