Coronary arteries

Changed by Matt A. Morgan, 28 Oct 2014

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

The coronary arteries arise just distal (superior) to the aortic valve and supply the heart. They divide and encircle the heart to cover its surface with a lacy network resembling perhaps a slightly crooked crown.

Although there are variations (see main article: congenital coronary artery anomalies), the anatomy is relatively consistent. The typical configuration consists of two coronary arteries, left coronary and right coronary, arising above the left and right leaflets of the aortic valve respectively in the aortic sinuses.

The right coronary courses in the right atrioventricular groove as the, to the inferior surface of the heart, whereupon it turns anteriorly as the inferior interventricular artery (right dominant).

The left coronary has a short common stem before dividing into left circumflex, which courses over the left atrioventricular groove, and the left anterior descending artery, which passes towards the apex in the interventricular groove. In left dominant hearts the left circumflex supplies the inferior interventricular artery.

Branches

Etymology

Coronary comes from  the Latin, Coronarius - belonging to a crown or wreath.

  • -<p>The <strong>coronary arteries</strong> arise just distal (superior) to the <a href="/articles/aortic-valve" title="aortic valve">aortic valve</a> and supply the <a href="/articles/heart" title="heart">heart</a>. They divide and encircle the heart to cover its surface with a lacy network resembling perhaps a slightly crooked crown.</p><p>Although there are variations (see main article: <a href="/articles/congenital-coronary-artery-anomalies" title="Congenital coronary artery anomalies">congenital coronary artery anomalies</a>), the anatomy is relatively consistent. The typical configuration consists of two coronary arteries, left coronary and right coronary, arising above the left and right leaflets of the aortic valve respectively in the <a href="/articles/aortic-sinuses" title="aortic sinuses">aortic sinuses</a>. </p><p>The <a href="/articles/right-coronary-artery" title="Right coronary artery (RCA)">right coronary</a> courses in the right atrioventricular groove as the, to the inferior surface of the heart, whereupon it turns anteriorly as the <a href="/articles/inferior-interventricular-artery" title="inferior interventricular artery">inferior interventricular artery</a> (right dominant). </p><p>The <a href="/articles/left-coronary-artery" title="left coronary artery">left coronary</a> has a short common stem before dividing into <a href="/articles/left-circumflex-artery" title="left circumflex artery">left circumflex</a>, which courses over the left atrioventricular groove, and the <a href="/articles/left-anterior-descending-artery" title="left anterior descending artery">left anterior descending artery</a>, which passes towards the apex in the interventricular groove. In left dominant hearts the left circumflex supplies the <a href="/articles/inferior-interventricular-artery" title="inferior interventricular artery">inferior interventricular artery</a>. </p><h4>Branches</h4><ul>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/left-coronary-artery" title="left coronary artery">left coronary artery</a> branches
  • -<ul>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/left-anterior-descending-artery" title="left anterior descending artery">left anterior descending artery</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/left-circumflex-artery" title="left circumflex artery">left circumflex artery</a></li>
  • +<p>The <strong>coronary arteries</strong> arise just distal (superior) to the <a href="/articles/aortic-valve">aortic valve</a> and supply the <a href="/articles/heart">heart</a>. They divide and encircle the heart to cover its surface with a lacy network resembling perhaps a slightly crooked crown.</p><p>Although there are variations (see main article: <a href="/articles/congenital-coronary-artery-anomalies">congenital coronary artery anomalies</a>), the anatomy is relatively consistent. The typical configuration consists of two coronary arteries, left coronary and right coronary, arising above the left and right leaflets of the aortic valve respectively in the <a href="/articles/aortic-sinuses">aortic sinuses</a>.</p><p>The <a href="/articles/right-coronary-artery">right coronary</a> courses in the right atrioventricular groove as the, to the inferior surface of the heart, whereupon it turns anteriorly as the <a href="/articles/inferior-interventricular-artery">inferior interventricular artery</a> (right dominant).</p><p>The <a href="/articles/left-coronary-artery">left coronary</a> has a short common stem before dividing into <a href="/articles/left-circumflex-artery">left circumflex</a>, which courses over the left atrioventricular groove, and the <a href="/articles/left-anterior-descending-artery">left anterior descending artery</a>, which passes towards the apex in the interventricular groove. In left dominant hearts the left circumflex supplies the <a href="/articles/inferior-interventricular-artery">inferior interventricular artery</a>.</p><h4>Branches</h4><ul>
  • +<li>
  • +<a href="/articles/left-coronary-artery">left coronary artery</a> branches<ul>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/left-anterior-descending-artery">left anterior descending artery</a></li>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/left-circumflex-artery">left circumflex artery</a></li>
  • -</li>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/right-coronary-artery" title="Right coronary artery (RCA)">right coronary artery</a> branches
  • -<ul>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/infundibular-branch" title="infundibular branch">infundibular branch</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/right-circumflex-artery" title="right circumflex artery">right circumflex artery</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/inferior-interventricular-artery" title="inferior interventricular artery">inferior interventricular artery</a></li>
  • +</li>
  • +<li>
  • +<a href="/articles/right-coronary-artery">right coronary artery</a> branches<ul>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/infundibular-branch">infundibular branch</a></li>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/right-circumflex-artery">right circumflex artery</a></li>
  • +<li><a title="Inferior interventricular artery" href="/articles/inferior-interventricular-artery">inferior interventricular artery</a></li>
  • -</li>
  • +</li>
Images Changes:

Image 2 CT (C+ arterial phase) ( create )

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