Left anterior descending artery

Changed by Laura Smith, 31 Mar 2015

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

Show markup changes

The left anterior descending artery also known as the anterior inter ventricular branch of the left coronary artery is a branch or continuation of the left coronary artery and supplies the anterolateral myocardium and apex and with one of its branches supplying the anterior 2/3 of the interventricular septum.

Gross Anatomy

The left anterior descending artery (LAD) has one main source and gives off several branches. It can be divided into proximal, mid and distal segments and this helps to differentiate the names of its various small branches ¹:

source: left coronary atery
branches: septal perforators and ~~diagonals~~diagonal branches¹

Relations

The LAD lies in the anterior epicardial ventricular septum ^1:

inferior: myocardium
superior: pericardium

Variant Anatomy

dual left anterior descending coronary artery ²: it describes two left anterior descending coronary ateries, one usually shorter in length that are both situated in the anterior inter ventricular groove. It is important to know of this variation when planning surgical vascularisation ³.

Related Pathology

Occlusion of LAD leading to myocardial infarction or sudden death
Wellens Syndrome

-<p>The<strong> left anterior descending artery </strong>also known as the anterior inter ventricular branch of the left coronary artery is a branch or continuation of the <a title="Left coronary artery" href="/articles/left-coronary-artery">left coronary artery</a> and supplies the anterolateral myocardium and apex and with one of its branches supplying the anterior 2/3 of the interventricular septum. </p><h5><strong>Gross Anatomy</strong></h5><p>The left anterior descending artery (LAD) has one main source and gives off several branches. It can be divided into proximal, mid and distal segments and this helps to differentiate the names of its various small branches <sup>1</sup>:</p><ul>
~~-<li>source: <a title="Left coronary artery" href="/articles/left-coronary-artery">left coronary atery</a>~~
+<p>The<strong> left anterior descending artery </strong>also known as the anterior inter ventricular branch of the left coronary artery is a branch or continuation of the <a href="/articles/left-coronary-artery">left coronary artery</a> and supplies the anterolateral myocardium and apex and with one of its branches supplying the anterior 2/3 of the interventricular septum. </p><h5><strong>Gross Anatomy</strong></h5><p>The left anterior descending artery (LAD) has one main source and gives off several branches. It can be divided into proximal, mid and distal segments and this helps to differentiate the names of its various small branches <sup>1</sup>:</p><ul>
+<li>source: <a href="/articles/left-coronary-artery">left coronary atery</a>
~~-<li>branches: septal perforators and diagonals<sup>1</sup>~~
+<li>branches: septal perforators and diagonal branches<sup>1</sup>
~~-<li>superior: <a title="Pericardium anatomy" href="/articles/pericardium">pericardium</a>~~
+<li>superior: <a href="/articles/pericardium">pericardium</a>
~~-</ul><h5>Related Pathology</h5>~~
+</ul><h5>Variant Anatomy</h5><ul><li>dual left anterior descending coronary artery <sup>2</sup>: it describes two left anterior descending coronary ateries, one usually shorter in length that are both situated in the anterior inter ventricular groove. It is important to know of this variation when planning surgical vascularisation <sup>3</sup>. </li></ul><h5>Related Pathology</h5><ul>
+<li>Occlusion of LAD leading to myocardial infarction or sudden death</li>
+<li>Wellens Syndrome</li>
+</ul>

References changed:

1. Smuclovisky C. Coronary Artery CTA: A Case-Based Atlas. Springer. ISBN:1441904301. <a href="http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1441904301">Read it at Google Books</a> - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1441904301">Find it at Amazon</a><span class="auto"></span>
2. Bozlar U, Ugurel M, Sari S, Akgun V, Ors F, Tasar M. Prevalence of Dual Left Anterior Descending Artery Variations in CT Angiography. Diagn Interv Radiol. 2015;21(1):34-41. <a href="https://doi.org/10.5152/dir.2014.14275">doi:10.5152/dir.2014.14275</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25333217">Pubmed</a>
3. Agarwal P & Kazerooni E. Dual Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery: CT Findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2008;191(6):1698-701. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.08.1193">doi:10.2214/ajr.08.1193</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19020238">Pubmed</a>

ADVERTISEMENT: Supporters see fewer/no ads

{"current_user":null,"inclusions":[{"imageId":53751954,"studyId":98658,"caseSlug":"coronary-arteries-creative-commons-illustration","caption":"Figure 1: coronary arteries (creative commons illustration)","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/53751954/bd3783ed9af6996c925bec923e6b274afa1f6c76_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"not_applicable"},{"imageId":42475272,"studyId":71571,"caseSlug":"normal-coronary-angiogram-dsa","caption":"Case 1: normal coronary angiogram (DSA)","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/42475272/46106174767ee584c598c23dbcefdc_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"not_applicable"},{"imageId":29951486,"studyId":58734,"caseSlug":"left-ventricular-myocardial-segmentation-and-coronary-artery-territories-2","caption":"Figure 2: LV myocardial segmentation and coronary artery territories","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/29951486/846690f3992393ec98f6b207269d22_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"not_applicable"},{"imageId":16598705,"studyId":42850,"caseSlug":"normal-right-dominant-circulation","caption":"Case 2: normal CTCA","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/16598705/308b384336ffe767a8d40b1b103da8_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":49063615,"studyId":78018,"caseSlug":"left-ventricular-myocardial-segments-diagram","caption":"Figure 3: LV myocardial segments (diagram)","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/49063615/ae800d253b4714d9d35acb524863dc_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"not_applicable"},{"imageId":55031119,"studyId":106523,"caseSlug":"coronary-artery-bypass-graft-left-anterior-descending-surgical-clips","caption":"Case 3: LAD clips from bypass surgery","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/55031119/Anonymize.Seq1.Ser1001.Img1_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"not_applicable"}],"ddx_inclusions":[],"lang":"us"}