Abdominal Aorta

ABDOMINAL AORTA
- Continuation of thoracic aorta
- enters through the aortic hiatus between the crura at T12
- ends slightly to the left of midline at L4 where it terminates as the left and
right common iliac arteries

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 Abdominal Aorta

- anterior o Lumbar arteries

o celiac trunk and its o Left lumbar veins
branches - posterolateral – left psoas
o SMA - right side
o IMA o IVC
o Commencement of each o Thoracic duct
gonadal artery o Cisterna chyli
o celiac plexus o Azygous vein
o lesser sac o Right crus of diaphragm
o Left renal vein - Left side
o Body of pancreas o Left crus of diaphragm
o Fourth part of o Left celiac ganglion
duodenum o DJ flexure
o Posterior parietal o Sympathetic trunk
peritoneum o Inferior mesenteric
o Attachment of the vessels
mesentry - On both sides
- Posteriorly o Phrenic, suprarenal and
o L1 – L4 renal vessels
o Anterior longitudinal
ligaments

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 Abdominal Aorta

BRANCHES OF THE ABDOMINAL AORTA

Anterior Unpaired
- celiac trunk at T12
→ L gastric A: Stomach, adjacent portion of oesophagus
→ Splenic A: Spleen, stomach and pancreas
→ Common hepatic A: Liver, stomach, GB, duodenum & pancreas
- SMA at L1 → inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery, jejunal and ileal arteries,
middle colic and iliocolic arteries. (Supplies: Pancreas, small intestine,
appendix, and first 2/3 of large intestine).
- IMA at L3 → superior left colic, inferior left colic and superior rectal artery.
Supplies: Last 1/3 of large intestine (left 1/3 of transverse colon to rectum).

Lateral paired visceral

- suprarenal arteries at L1 → adrenal glands
- renal arteries at L1/2 → kidneys
- gonadal arteries at L3 → gonads (test and ovaries)

Lateral paired parietal

- inferior phrenic arteries T12 → diaphragm and inferior portion of oesophagus
- lumbar arteries → vertebrae, spinal cord and abdominal wall

Terminal arteries
- L & R common iliac A at L4→ pelvis and lower limbs
- median sacral A

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 Abdominal Aorta

DEVELOPMENT
Formed by fusion of dorsal aortic pair

RADIOLOGICAL APPLICATION
 US:
o Diaphragm to bifurcation
o 2-3 cm diameter
o Surveillance of AAA
 CT & MRI:
o Contrast agent.
o Celiac axis, SMA and renal arteries are always visible when normal.
o IMA and lumbar arteries may be seen.
o Multi-detector CT or MRA enable image reformatting in any
anatomical plane.
 Angiography:
o Contrast introduced via pig-tail catheter in upper abdominal aorta /
selective branch catheterization
 Proximity to the vertebral bodies may lead to bony erosion by aneurysms of
the aorta
 Aneurysm formation
 Dissections
 Calcification