Truncus brachiocephalicus


The brachiocephalic trunk (BCT) (also known as the brachiocephalic artery, and previously as the innominate artery) is a major vessel that supplies the head, neck and right arm.
Gross anatomy
The brachiocephalic trunk is the first of the three main branches of the aortic arch, which originates from the upward convexity. It measures 4-5 cm in length with a diameter of 12.1 ± 1.6 mm.
After arising in the midline, it courses upwards to the right, crossing the trachea and bifurcates posterior to the right sternoclavicular joint, into the right subclavian and right common carotid arteries. It has no other branches.
Variant anatomy
- the brachiocephalic trunk may share a common origin with the left common carotid artery, this is called a bovine arch
- aberrant brachiocephalic trunk (rare)
- thyroidea ima artery may be a branch (rare)
- absent brachiocephalic trunk due to separate origins of the right subclavian and right common carotid arteries from the aortic arch
- high riding bracheocephalic trunk
Related pathology
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