Question:medium
All of the following are lateral branches of the abdominal aorta, EXCEPT:
All of the following are lateral branches of the abdominal aorta, EXCEPT:
Show Hint
Gut-supplying vessels leave the aorta anteriorly, not laterally.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
- Right testicular artery
- Left renal artery
- Inferior mesenteric artery
- Middle suprarenal artery
Show Solution
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Classify abdominal aortic branches by the direction in which they leave the vessel. Unpaired gut arteries leave anteriorly, the paired organ arteries leave laterally, and small segmental arteries leave posteriorly.
Step 2: The anterior unpaired set serving the gut tube is the coeliac trunk, the superior mesenteric artery and the inferior mesenteric artery. These are midline visceral vessels.
Step 3: The paired lateral set serving the body wall and the retroperitoneal glands and gonads is the inferior phrenic, middle suprarenal, renal and gonadal arteries.
Step 4: Right testicular (gonadal), left renal and middle suprarenal all fall in the lateral paired group. The inferior mesenteric artery belongs to the anterior unpaired group, so it is the one that is not lateral.
\[\boxed{\text{Inferior mesenteric artery}}\]
Step 2: The anterior unpaired set serving the gut tube is the coeliac trunk, the superior mesenteric artery and the inferior mesenteric artery. These are midline visceral vessels.
Step 3: The paired lateral set serving the body wall and the retroperitoneal glands and gonads is the inferior phrenic, middle suprarenal, renal and gonadal arteries.
Step 4: Right testicular (gonadal), left renal and middle suprarenal all fall in the lateral paired group. The inferior mesenteric artery belongs to the anterior unpaired group, so it is the one that is not lateral.
\[\boxed{\text{Inferior mesenteric artery}}\]
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