Anatomy, Thorax, Heart Aorta

Excerpt

The aorta is the largest vessel within the human body. It originates from the left ventricle of the heart anterior to the pulmonary artery before arching posteriorly and descending along the posterior mediastinum. It descends to the level of the L4 vertebral body where it bifurcates into the left and right common iliac arteries. It is the main artery in the body and distributes oxygenated blood to the entire systemic circulation. This section will be limited to the thoracic portion of the aorta, which includes the ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending thoracic aorta before it crosses the level of the diaphragm where it becomes the abdominal aorta. The thoracic aorta is responsible for supplying oxygenated blood to multiple structures, including the head, neck, upper extremities, and thoracic structures.