Along its course, it is accompanied by a similarly named artery, the superior epigastric artery.

Second, the superior epigastric artery, a terminal branch of the internal thoracic artery, supplies blood to the upper portion.

The internal thoracic artery then divides into the superior epigastric artery and musculophrenic artery.

It continues downward until it divides into the musculophrenic artery and the superior epigastric artery around the sixth intercostal space.

In circulatory anastomoses, many arteries naturally anastomose with each other, for example the inferior epigastric artery and superior epigastric artery.

Important vessels that pass through these bilateral foramina include the superior epigastric arteries as terminations of the internal thoracic arteries, with accompanying veins and lymphatics.

In human anatomy, inferior epigastric artery refers to the artery that arises from the external iliac artery and anastomoses with the superior epigastric artery.

In human anatomy, superior epigastric artery refers to a blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood and arises from the internal thoracic artery (referred to as the internal mammary artery in the accompanying diagram).

The superior epigastric arteries, inferior epigastric arteries, internal thoracic arteries and left subclavian artery and right subclavian artery / brachiocephalic are collateral vessels to the thoracic aorta and abdominal aorta.