Blood vesselArtery
Radial artery
Latin: Arteria radialis sinistra
Location: Forearm
Paired structure: one on the left and one on the right side of the body.
View the radial artery in 3DCourse
Terminal branch of the brachial, descends under the brachioradialis lateral to the flexor carpi radialis tendon, wraps the scaphoid through the anatomical snuffbox, and enters the palm to complete the deep palmar arch.
Branches
Recurrent branch, palmar and dorsal carpal branches, princeps pollicis, deep palmar arch.
Clinical relevance
The pulse of medicine — counted at the wrist since antiquity. Arterial cannulation favours it for the hand's dual supply; a normal Allen test (brisk refill from the ulnar artery) is checked before radial cannulation or harvest for CABG.
Educational anatomy reference, not medical advice. About this content.