Internal thoracic artery

The internal thoracic artery (also called the internal mammary artery) is a paired artery that arises from the ventral surface of the subclavian artery on each side.

Origin: caudoventral surface of the subclavian artery opposite to the origin of the superficial cervical artery.

Course:

• in a narrow, lateral pleural plica from the cranial mediastinum to the craniomedial border of the m. transversus thoracis.

  Lying parallel to the sternum, it passes ventral to the m. transversus thoracis and runs caudally dorsal to the sternal ends of

  the costal cartilages and the intervening interchondral spaces.

• Continues toward the diaphragm

• Termination: Divides into:

  • Cranial epigastric artery

  • Musculophrenic artery

Main branches

• Pericardiacophrenic artery

• Thymic branches

• Mediastinal branches

• Perforating branches

• Ventral intercostal branches

• Musculophrenic artery

• Caudal epigastric artery

• Cranial epigastric artery

• Superficial caudal epigastric artery