Spinal Branches of Ascending Cervical Artery (Left)
Rami spinales arteriae cervicalis ascendentis
Read moreQuick Facts
Origin: Ascending cervical artery.
Course: Enters the intervertebral foramen.
Branches: Prelaminar, radicular, and postcentral branches.
Supplied Structures: Vertebrae and spinal cord.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The ascending cervical arteries give rise to spinal branches.
Course
The spinal branches of the ascending cervical arteries enter the cervical intervertebral foramina, accompanied by the cervical spinal nerves.
Branches
The spinal branches of the ascending cervical artery give rise to prelaminar, radicular, and postcentral branches.
Supplied Structures
The spinal branches of the ascending cervical artery supply the cervical vertebrae, the periphery of the intervertebral discs, as well as the adjacent dura and epidural tissue. The small radicular arteries supply the anterior and posterior roots of the spinal cord (including the spinal, or dorsal root, ganglion). When the radicular arteries are enlarged (segmental medullary arteries), they contribute to the anterior and posterior spinal arteries, which supply the spinal cord (Standring, 2020; Jones et al., 2013).
References
Jones, H. R., Burns, T., Aminoff, M. J. and Pomeroy, S. (2013) The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Nervous System, Volume 7, Part 1 - Brain e-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Standring, S. (2020) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. 42nd edn.: Elsevier Health Sciences.
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Ascending Cervical Artery
A large radicular feeder usually arises at the C5 or C6 level from the vertebral or ascending cervical artery and is called the artery of cervical enlargement.
