Normal abdominal aorta

The abdominal aorta is a retroperitoneal structure that begins at the hiatus of the diaphragm and extends to its bifurcation into the right and left common iliac arteries at the level of the fourth lumbar vertebra.
The branches of the abdominal aorta include (superior to inferior) the left and right inferior phrenic arteries, the celiac axis, left and right middle suprarenal arteries, superior mesenteric artery, left and right renal arteries, left and right gonadal arteries, inferior mesenteric artery, left and right common iliac artery, and middle sacral artery. The paired lumbar arteries (L1-L4) branch from the aorta at mid vertebral body.