| |
| | Inferior mesenteric artery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
 | | In human anatomy, the inferior mesenteric artery, often abbreviated as IMA, supplies the large intestine from the left colic (or splenic) flexure to the upper part of the rectum, which includes the descending colon, the sigmoid colon, and part of the rectum. |
 | | Proximally, its territory of distribution overlaps (forms a watershed) with the middle colic artery, and therefore the superior mesenteric artery. |
 | | The IMA branches off the anterior surface of the abdominal aorta, approximately midway between the renal artery branch points and the abdominal aortic bifurcation (into the common iliac arteries). |
| en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Inferior_mesenteric_artery (387 words) |
|