Overview
The radial artery is one of two continuations of the brachial artery, the other being the ulnar artery. It supplies the anterior compartment of the forearm.
Origin
Arises in the cubital fossa as one of the two terminal branches of the brachial artery at the level of the neck of the radius.
Course
- Proximally, it courses along the radial aspect of the anterior compartment of the forearm under the brachioradialis, lateral to the flexor carpi radialis tendon.
- Distally, it lies on the surface of the radius, wrapping around laterally to run along the floor of the anatomical snuff box
- It then passess dorsally around the scaphoid and trapezium.
- At the carpal region of the hand, the radial artery forms the deep palmar arch of the hand and anastomoses with the ulnar artery.
Branches
- Radial recurrent artery – ascends to anatomose with the radial collateral of the profunda brachii
- Palmar carpal branch – contributes to the anstomotic network to carpal bones and wrist joint
- Dorsal carpal branch – passes medially across dorsum of carpal bones as dorsal carpal arch, gives dorsal metacarpal arteries which divides to supply adjacent sides of index finger and thumb
- First dorsal metacarpal artery – divides to supply adjacent sides of index finger and thumb
- Muscular branches
In the hand:
- Princeps pollicis artery – passes between adductor pollicis and first dorsal interosseous to supply thumb
- Radialis indicis artery – supplies lateral aspect index finger
- Deep palmar arch
- Three palmar metacarpal arteries – anastomoses with common palmar digital arteries from superficial arch
- Three perforating branches – passes posteriorly between dorsal interossei to anatomose with dorsal metcarpal arteries of dorsal carpal arch
- Superficial palmar branch – passes through or superficial to thenar muscles, anastomoses with superficial palmar arch of ulnar arter
Termination
Terminates in the hand, anastomosing with the ulnar artery by forming the deep palmar arch.
Note: the superficial palmar arch is predominantly supplied by the ulnar artery.
Supply
- Elbow joint
- Lateral forearm muscle
- Radial nerve
- Carpal bones and joints
- Thumb
- Lateral side of the index finger.
Variants
- Brachioradial artery – high origin from brachial artery (~9%)
- High origin from axillary artery
- Cubital crossover – anastomosis between brachioradial artery and normal brachial artery in cubital fossa
- Contribution of radial or brachioradial artery to formation of the superficial palmar arch