Nutrient canal

Nutrient canal
The blood supply to long bones, here with nutrient artery, vein and foramen labeled.
A nutrient canal feeding the femur seen on X-ray
Identifiers
TA	A02.0.00.042
FMA	75378
Anatomical terminology []

All bones possess larger or smaller foramina (openings) for the entrance of the nourishing blood-vessels; these are known as the nutrient foramina, and are particularly large in the shafts of the larger long bones, where they lead into a nutrient canal, which extends into the medullary cavity. Along with veins the nutrient arteries pass through this canal. A nutrient canal is found in both long bones and in irregular bones. In long bones the nutrient canal is found in the shaft, and in irregular bones it is found in other locations.

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918) This article incorporates text from a public domain edition of Sobotta's Anatomy.