The iliac arteries are the two main branches of the abdominal aorta, created when the aorta bifurcates at approximately the level of the navel. Each common iliac artery further divides into an internal iliac artery, which supplies the pelvic organs, and an external iliac artery, which becomes the femoral artery and supplies the leg. On vascular ultrasound, the iliac arteries are evaluated for atherosclerotic disease, aneurysms, and stenosis as part of lower extremity arterial studies. Doppler assessment of the iliac arteries can reveal significant peripheral arterial disease, and abnormal flow patterns may explain symptoms like leg pain with walking, known as claudication.
Sonography Term