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Right gastric artery

The right gastric artery is a small but important vessel that typically arises from the proper hepatic artery, a branch of the common hepatic artery from the celiac trunk. In some anatomical variations, it may arise from the common hepatic artery, left hepatic artery, or gastroduodenal artery.

From its origin, the right gastric artery courses inferiorly and medially, running along the lesser curvature of the stomach, where it forms an anastomotic arcade with the left gastric artery. This arcade provides continuous arterial supply to the stomach’s lesser curvature and adjacent gastric wall.

The artery supplies the anterior and posterior surfaces of the stomach along the lesser curvature and contributes small branches to the lower esophagus and pyloric region. Its role is clinically significant in gastric ulcer disease, gastric resections, and oncologic surgery, as well as in embolization procedures for upper GI bleeding.

Synonyms

  • Arteria gastrica dextra

  • Lesser curvature artery (right side)

  • Right lesser gastric artery

Function

  • Supplies blood to the lesser curvature of the stomach

  • Forms an important anastomotic arcade with the left gastric artery

  • Provides collateral blood supply to the esophagus and pyloric region

  • Critical surgical landmark in gastrectomy, bariatric surgery, and GI bleeding management

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Right gastric artery appears as a linear flow void (black lumen) along the lesser curvature, surrounded by high-signal perigastric fat

T2-weighted images:

  • Vessel appears as a signal void, seen adjacent to the gastric wall

  • Perigastric edema or pathology may improve conspicuity

STIR:

  • Suppresses fat signal, highlighting the vessel course against hypointense gastric wall

  • Detects perivascular edema or inflammation

T1 Fat-Saturated (Pre-contrast):

  • Lumen often appears intermediate signal intensity against suppressed fat background

  • Useful for separating vessel from perigastric fat planes

T1 Fat-Saturated Post-Contrast (Gadolinium):

  • Enhances brightly and homogeneously, highlighting origin and lesser curvature arcade with left gastric artery

  • Important for tumor neovascularity or vascular malformations

MRA (Magnetic Resonance Angiography):

  • Depicts the origin, course, and anastomosis with left gastric artery

  • Useful in preoperative vascular mapping, GI bleeding evaluation, and oncology planning

CT Appearance

CT Pre-Contrast:

  • Artery may be seen as a small soft-tissue density along the gastric lesser curvature

  • Calcification possible in atherosclerotic disease

CT Post-Contrast:

  • Enhances brightly, visible along the gastric wall

  • Demonstrates its course from the hepatic artery to the anastomosis with left gastric artery

  • Can detect active contrast extravasation in GI bleeding

CT Angiography (CTA):

  • Best for non-invasive evaluation

  • Multiplanar and 3D reconstructions show origin, lesser curvature course, and gastric anastomotic arcade

  • Useful for identifying bleeding sources, tumors, or surgical anatomy variations

  • Guides interventional procedures such as embolization of upper GI bleeding

MRI image

Right gastric artery MRI coronal anatomy image

CT images

Right gastric artery ct axial image 1

CT images

Right gastric artery ct axial image

CT images

Right gastric artery ct coronal image