Abdomen and pelvis: coeliac trunk: practice question

A Anatomy question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anatomy · Abdomen and pelvis: coeliac trunk

Sample item

CT angiography of a 30-year-old woman with postprandial epigastric pain shows narrowing of the aortic branch that arises behind the median arcuate ligament at the level of T12. Which set of arteries is branching from this vessel?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Left gastric, splenic and common hepatic arteries

The coeliac trunk arises from the aorta at the lower border of T12, just below the aortic hiatus and median arcuate ligament, and supplies foregut derivatives through three branches: the left gastric, splenic and common hepatic arteries. Compression by the ligament causes median arcuate ligament syndrome. The superior mesenteric artery arises at L1 and the inferior mesenteric at L3.

Option by option

  • A. Left gastric, splenic and common hepatic arteries (correct)

    Correct. These are the three branches of the coeliac trunk.

  • B. Superior pancreaticoduodenal, middle colic and ileocolic arteries

    These are branches of the superior mesenteric artery, which arises at L1.

  • C. Middle suprarenal, renal and gonadal arteries

    These are paired lateral branches of the aorta at L1 to L2, not foregut vessels.

  • D. Left colic, sigmoid and superior rectal arteries

    These are branches of the inferior mesenteric artery, which arises at L3.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is A, Left gastric, splenic and common hepatic arteries. The coeliac trunk arises from the aorta at the lower border of T12, just below the aortic hiatus and median arcuate ligament, and supplies foregut derivatives through three branches: the left gastric, splenic and common hepatic arteries.

Why is "Superior pancreaticoduodenal, middle colic and ileocolic arteries" not the answer?

These are branches of the superior mesenteric artery, which arises at L1.

Why is "Middle suprarenal, renal and gonadal arteries" not the answer?

These are paired lateral branches of the aorta at L1 to L2, not foregut vessels.

Why is "Left colic, sigmoid and superior rectal arteries" not the answer?

These are branches of the inferior mesenteric artery, which arises at L3.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Abdomen and pelvis: coeliac trunk in Anatomy. Compression by the ligament causes median arcuate ligament syndrome. The superior mesenteric artery arises at L1 and the inferior mesenteric at L3.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Abdomen and pelvis: coeliac trunk?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.