Radial artery
Radial Artery
The Radial Artery (pronounced: /ˈreɪdiəl ˈɑːrtəri/) is a major artery in the human forearm. It is the direct continuation of the brachial artery and is one of the two main arteries that supply blood to the hand and fingers.
Etymology
The term "Radial Artery" is derived from the Latin word "radius" meaning "ray". In the context of anatomy, it refers to the radius bone, which is located on the thumb side of the forearm, where the radial artery runs.
Anatomy
The radial artery begins at the bifurcation of the brachial artery in the cubital fossa. It runs distally on the anterior part of the forearm. There are several branches of the radial artery including the radial recurrent artery, palmar carpal branch, superficial palmar branch, and dorsal carpal branch.
Clinical Significance
The radial artery is commonly used for taking the pulse due to its superficial location. It is also frequently used as a point of access during cardiac catheterization, and in the creation of arteriovenous fistulas for hemodialysis.
Related Terms
- Brachial artery
- Radial recurrent artery
- Palmar carpal branch
- Superficial palmar branch
- Dorsal carpal branch
- Pulse
- Hemodialysis
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Radial artery
- Wikipedia's article - Radial artery
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski