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Right subclavian artery

The right subclavian artery is a major systemic artery arising from the brachiocephalic trunk (innominate artery) on the right side of the body. It plays a crucial role in supplying oxygenated blood to the right upper limb, neck, and portions of the thorax and brain. The right subclavian artery courses posterior to the right sternoclavicular joint, arches laterally over the first rib, and continues as the axillary artery after passing the lateral border of the first rib. Its anatomical position and multiple branches make it an important landmark in both clinical and imaging practice.

Synonyms

  • Right subclavian artery

  • Right arteria subclavia (Latin)

  • Subclavian artery (right side)

Function

  • Supplies arterial blood to the right upper limb via the axillary artery continuation

  • Provides blood flow to the right side of the neck, via branches such as the vertebral artery, thyrocervical trunk, and internal thoracic artery

  • Supports cerebral circulation through the vertebral artery (which joins to form the basilar artery)

  • Contributes to the vascular supply of the upper chest wall and portions of the spinal cord

MRI Appearance

  • T1-weighted images:

    • Lumen of the right subclavian artery appears as a signal void (dark/black) due to flowing blood (flow void phenomenon)

    • Vessel wall may be visualized if thickened or if there are surrounding abnormalities

  • T2-weighted images:

    • Lumen remains dark due to fast-flowing blood

    • Adjacent soft tissue structures and edema may appear brighter

  • STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

    • Arterial lumen appears dark (flow void)

    • Useful for highlighting perivascular edema or soft tissue changes

  • TOF (Time-of-Flight) MRA:

    • Right subclavian artery shows bright, high signal intensity due to inflow effect of unsaturated blood

    • Excellent for visualizing vessel patency and detecting stenosis, occlusion, or aneurysm

    • 3D reconstructions can display the vessel course and its branches

CT Appearance

  • Non-contrast CT:

    • The right subclavian artery appears as a round or oval structure of soft tissue density, surrounded by fat planes

    • Difficult to distinguish from veins or adjacent structures without contrast

  • Contrast-enhanced CT (CTA):

    • Right subclavian artery opacifies brightly with intravenous contrast, sharply delineating its lumen

MRI images

Right subclavian artery coronal image mri