Which artery is NOT one of the three source arteries for angiosomes of the foot and ankle?

Which artery is NOT one of the three source arteries for angiosomes of the foot and ankle?

• A. Popliteal Artery
• B. Posterior Tibial Artery
• C. Anterior Tibial Artery
• D. Peroneal Artery

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how the foot and ankle are organized into angiosomes, each fed by a direct artery. There are three main source arteries for these angiosomes: the anterior tibial, the posterior tibial, and the peroneal. The popliteal artery sits upstream, behind the knee, and is the parent vessel that gives rise to those three arteries. It does not itself supply a distinct angiosome of the foot; instead, its branches do. So the artery that is not one of the three direct foot angiosome sources is the popliteal artery. The other three listed are the actual direct suppliers to the foot’s angiosomes.

The key idea is how the foot and ankle are organized into angiosomes, each fed by a direct artery. There are three main source arteries for these angiosomes: the anterior tibial, the posterior tibial, and the peroneal. The popliteal artery sits upstream, behind the knee, and is the parent vessel that gives rise to those three arteries. It does not itself supply a distinct angiosome of the foot; instead, its branches do. So the artery that is not one of the three direct foot angiosome sources is the popliteal artery. The other three listed are the actual direct suppliers to the foot’s angiosomes.