Quick Facts
Origin: Radial nerve (C6—C8).
Course: Descends in the posterior forearm. Passes underneath the brachioradialis tendon to reach the dorsum of hand.
Branches: Four dorsal digital branches.
Supply: Skin of dorsum of hand and proximal parts of the dorsal surfaces of the thumb, index finger, and lateral half of the middle finger.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The radial nerve terminally divides into its two superficial and deep branches in the cubital fossa at the level of the lateral epicondyle of the humerus. The superficial branch contains sensory nerve fibers from the C6—C8 cervical spinal segments.
Course
The superficial terminal branch runs inferiorly on the anterior aspect of the forearm. It is closely related to the radial artery at the middle one third of the forearm. In the upper one third, it is widely separated from the artery, while in the lower one third it passes backwards underneath the tendon of brachioradialis muscle and winds around the radial bone to reach the dorsum of the hand.
Branches
Upon reaching the dorsum of the hand, the superficial branch of the radial nerve divides into four dorsal digital branches.
Supplied Structures
The superficial terminal branch is purely cutaneous and is distributed to the lateral half of the dorsum of the hand and to the proximal parts of the dorsal surfaces of the thumb, index finger, and lateral half of the middle finger.
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Radial Nerve
Radial tunnel syndrome: The radial tunnel refers to the segment of the radial nerve between the lateral intermuscular septum and the supinator.
