Eric Holland OMS-I · ex-software engineer

Learn / Flow

Upper limb arteries

Subclavian → axillary → brachial → radial & ulnar → palmar arches, with every named branch. Learn what flows into what: Arises from, Gives rise to, and Trace the route from the subclavian to any vessel.

Figure
Left to right = proximal to distal. The heavy line is one continuous vessel changing name — subclavian, axillary, brachial — forking into radial and ulnar at the cubital fossa. Lighter lines are branches given off; dashed lines are anastomotic contributions to the palmar arches.
Zoom
Subclavian Vertebral Internal thoracic Thyrocervical trunk Costocervical trunk Dorsal scapular Inferior thyroid Suprascapular Transverse cervical Axillary Superior thoracic Thoracoacromial Lateral thoracic Subscapular Anterior circumflex humeral Posterior circumflex humeral Circumflex scapular Thoracodorsal Brachial Profunda brachii (deep brachial) Superior ulnar collateral Inferior ulnar collateral Radial collateral Middle collateral Radial Radial recurrent Superficial palmar branch of radial Princeps pollicis Deep palmar arch Ulnar Anterior ulnar recurrent Posterior ulnar recurrent Common interosseous Anterior interosseous Posterior interosseous Superficial palmar arch Deep palmar branch of ulnar Common palmar digital Palmar metacarpal

How to read it

The subclavian gives five branches (VIT C D: Vertebral, Internal thoracic, Thyrocervical, Costocervical, Dorsal scapular) and becomes the axillary at the 1st rib. The axillary has 1, 2, 3 branches from its three parts (superior thoracic; thoracoacromial + lateral thoracic; subscapular + anterior and posterior circumflex humeral) and becomes the brachial at teres major. The brachial gives profunda brachii and the two ulnar collaterals, then splits into radial and ulnar at the cubital fossa. Radial → deep palmar arch; ulnar → superficial palmar arch.

Click any vessel to see its notes and highlight everything upstream and downstream of it.

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