Artery

Radial artery

Right upper limb, arm abducted, seen from in front

Before you touch the pencil

The pulse you have taken a hundred times, drawn properly. It starts in the cubital fossa at the level of the neck of the radius and runs to the front of the wrist just lateral to the tendon of flexor carpi radialis. The line is gently convex to the lateral side, which is why the pulse sits where it does rather than in the middle of the wrist.

Position: Abduct the arm to a right angle with the palm facing forwards.

0 of 2 points placed

Point 1 of 2

Middle of the cubital fossa, at the level of the neck of the radius

Feel for it: In the hollow in front of the elbow, just medial to the tendon of biceps, which stands out when you flex against resistance.

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The points, in order

1. Middle of the cubital fossa, at the level of the neck of the radius
In the hollow in front of the elbow, just medial to the tendon of biceps, which stands out when you flex against resistance.
2. Front of the wrist, lateral to the tendon of flexor carpi radialis
Where you take a radial pulse: the hollow between the tendon you can see when you flex the wrist and the bony edge of the radius.

Do not confuse it with

The ulnar artery
The ulnar artery runs to the medial side of the wrist and enters the palm lateral to the pisiform; the radial artery runs to the lateral side.

Examiner trap

Drawing it straight down the middle of the forearm. The line is convex laterally, and the endpoint is at the lateral side of the wrist.

Memory hook

Radial artery to the radial side — and on into the snuffbox.

Senior’s 30-second takeaway

Radial artery — the whole bench in four lines. Read this on the way in.

If you see this: A line down the front of the forearm · Beginning in the middle of the cubital fossa · Ending where you would take a pulse
If asked to identify it: From the middle of the cubital fossa to the front of the wrist lateral to flexor carpi radialis, gently convex laterally.
If asked one more: Beyond the wrist it crosses the anatomical snuffbox to form the deep palmar arch.
If asked why it matters: It is superficial in the lower forearm, which is why it is used for the pulse and for arterial sampling.

Then stop. Let the examiner ask the next question.

🩺 Before you touch the pencil

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Senior’s 30-second takeaway

Before you touch the pencil