Which artery is the large unpaired branch of the abdominal aorta that supplies the liver, stomach, and spleen?

Which artery is the large unpaired branch of the abdominal aorta that supplies the liver, stomach, and spleen?

• A. Celiac trunk
• B. Superior mesenteric artery
• C. Renal artery
• D. Inferior mesenteric artery

Answer: (A)

The main concept here is recognizing the foregut blood supply from the abdominal aorta via a single unpaired trunk. That trunk is the celiac trunk, which arises just below the diaphragm and quickly divides into the left gastric, splenic, and common hepatic arteries. These branches supply the foregut organs: the liver gets its arterial supply through the hepatic artery (via the common hepatic artery), the stomach mainly via the left gastric artery, and the spleen via the splenic artery. Other major abdominal arteries have different targets or are paired in origin (the superior mesenteric artery goes to the midgut, the renal arteries to the kidneys, and the inferior mesenteric to the hindgut), so the celiac trunk best fits the description.

The main concept here is recognizing the foregut blood supply from the abdominal aorta via a single unpaired trunk. That trunk is the celiac trunk, which arises just below the diaphragm and quickly divides into the left gastric, splenic, and common hepatic arteries. These branches supply the foregut organs: the liver gets its arterial supply through the hepatic artery (via the common hepatic artery), the stomach mainly via the left gastric artery, and the spleen via the splenic artery. Other major abdominal arteries have different targets or are paired in origin (the superior mesenteric artery goes to the midgut, the renal arteries to the kidneys, and the inferior mesenteric to the hindgut), so the celiac trunk best fits the description.