Right renal artery

Arteria renalis dextra

CardiovascularBlood vesselsAbdomenRight side

View in 3D

What it is
Leaves the side of the aorta at L1–L2 just below the superior mesenteric artery and runs to the right, behind the inferior vena cava (it is longer than the left), dividing near the hilum into segmental arteries.
Function
Supplies the kidney (plus the adrenal gland and ureter); the kidneys receive ~20% of the cardiac output.
Size
~5–6 mm diameter; ~4–6 cm long.
Clinical note
About 25–30% of people have an extra (accessory) renal artery; renal artery narrowing is a curable cause of high blood pressure.

Nearby cardiovascular structures Abdominal aorta, Coeliac trunk, Common hepatic artery, Hepatic portal vein, Left renal artery, Left renal vein, Right renal vein, Splenic vein, Superior mesenteric artery, Superior mesenteric vein