posterior spinal artery


pos·te·ri·or spi·nal ar·ter·y

[TA] origin, intracranial part of vertebral; distribution, medulla, spinal cord, and pia mater; anastomoses, spinal branches of intercostal arteries. Synonym(s): arteria spinalis posterior [TA]

pos·te·ri·or spi·nal ar·te·ry

(pos-tēr'ē-ŏr spī'năl ahr'tĕr-ē) [TA] Origin, intracranial part of vertebral; distribution, medulla, spinal cord, and pia mater; anastomoses, spinal branches of intercostal arteries.
Synonym(s): arteria spinalis posterior.

posterior spinal artery

The left and right posterior spinal arteries run separately along the dorsal surface of the spinal cord and supply blood to the dorsal half of the spinal cord. At the top of the spinal cord, the posterior spinal arteries are branches of the vertebral arteries; at each intervertebral foramen, radicular arteries anastomose with the posterior spinal arteries. See also: artery