Conal Branch of the Right Coronary Artery

Description

Seen from an anterior, slightly right-rotated perspective, the right coronary artery arises from the right aortic sinus and runs in the right atrioventricular (coronary) sulcus beneath the right atrial auricle. The conal branch (infundibular artery) leaves the proximal right coronary artery and courses superiorly and anteriorly over the right ventricular outflow tract (conus arteriosus) toward the pulmonary trunk. Nearby landmarks include the ascending aorta, pulmonary trunk, right ventricle, and the anterior interventricular sulcus with the left anterior descending artery, with superficial cardiac veins running in blue within the same epicardial fat planes. This view matters because the conal branch is often the first branch encountered during proximal right coronary interventions and can be a dominant supplier of the right ventricular infundibulum and adjacent anterior right ventricle. In some hearts it forms an anastomotic arcade with a conal branch from the left coronary system (the circle of Vieussens), a collateral pathway that becomes relevant in proximal coronary occlusion or during bypass planning. Small vessel. Big consequence. Educators use this angle to teach coronary artery origins at the aortic root and the surface course of the right coronary artery relative to the conus arteriosus and great vessels in gross anatomy, cardiology, and cardiac imaging modules. It also fits well in interventional cardiology slide decks, surgical atlases discussing RVOT exposure, and patient-facing diagrams explaining proximal RCA disease and collateral flow. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.