Accessory left gastric artery arising from left hepatic artery: angiographic study.

An accessory left gastric artery may arise from the left hepatic artery and follow a course similar to an intrahepatic artery. In 98 hepatic angiograms an accessory left gastric artery was observed in 14 (14.2%). The site of origin of this artery was from the left hepatic artery proximal to the umbilical point. An esophageal branch was found in 10 cass (71.4%). The possibility of an accessory left gastric artery should be kept in mind during angiography of the left hepatic lobe and gastric fundus. A gastric wall stain in the capillary phase produced by this vessel may mimic a hepatic tumor.