Artery: Left coronary artery
Base of ventricles exposed by removal of the atria. (Left coronary artery visible at left.)
The arch of the aorta, and its branches.
Latin	arteria coronaria sinistra
Gray's	subject #142 547
Source	ascending aorta
Branches	anterior interventricular circumflex (ramus intermedius)
Dorlands / Elsevier	a_61/12154070

The left coronary artery, abbreviated LCA and also known as the left main coronary artery (often abbreviated LMCA), arises from the aorta above the left cusp of the aortic valve.

Branching

It typically runs for 1 to 25 mm and then bifurcates into the anterior interventricular artery (also called left anterior descending (LAD)) artery and the left circumflex artery (LCX).

The part that is between the aorta and the bifurcation only is known as the left main artery (LM), while the term 'LCA' might refer to just the left main, or to the left main and all its eventual branches.

If an artery arises from the left main between the LAD and LCX, it is known as the ramus intermedius. The ramus intermedius occurs in 37%^{citation needed} of the general population, and is considered a normal variant.

Additional images

A coronary angiogram that shows the LMCA, LAD and LCX.

Diagram of a myocardial infarction.

Plan of the branches.

Autopsy specimen showing the coronary ostia and proximal segments of the coronary arteries. Compare with Gray's Anatomy drawing above.

See also

• Coronary circulation

External links

• SUNY Figs 20:03-01 - "Anterior view of the heart."
• Left+coronary+artery at eMedicine Dictionary
• 00463 at CHORUS