Between which tendons does the radial artery lie?

The radial artery lies between the abductor pollicis longus and the extensor pollicis brevis tendons in the anatomical context of the wrist and hand. This relationship is important for surgeons and clinicians to understand, as it aids in various procedures and helps avoid inadvertent injury to the artery.

The abductor pollicis longus tendon runs along the radial side of the forearm and is responsible for the abduction of the thumb, whereas the extensor pollicis brevis tendon is located just distal to it and assists in extending the thumb. This positioning allows the radial artery, which is a major vessel supplying blood to the forearm and hand, to be accessed for certain medical procedures, such as radial artery cannulation or harvesting for bypass grafts.

The other options present tendons whose anatomical arrangements do not have the radial artery situated between them. For example, the extensor pollicis longus is a separate muscle that lies more medially, and the extensor digitorum and flexor carpi radialis are positioned differently with respect to the radial artery's course. Understanding these positional relationships assists healthcare professionals in both diagnosis and surgical interventions.