LCX
Also written as: LCX — Left Circumflex artery
Epicardial coronary artery that supplies the lateral and posterior walls of the left ventricle.
Full Definition
The left circumflex artery (LCX or LCx) arises from the left main coronary artery alongside the LAD and travels in the left atrioventricular groove. The LCX typically supplies the lateral and posterolateral walls of the left ventricle through obtuse marginal branches. In left-dominant or codominant systems (approximately 15% of patients), the LCX may give rise to the posterior descending artery and supply the inferior wall as well. LCX lesions can be challenging to detect on electrocardiography and may present as lateral or posterior myocardial infarction. The artery's course behind the heart makes it sometimes difficult to visualize completely during angiography.
Usage
Usage note: May be abbreviated as LCX or LCx; specify branch involvement when clinically relevant.
In Context
- "Angiography revealed a tight stenosis in the proximal LCX with involvement of a large OM1 branch." — Cardiac catheterization report
- "The patient presented with a lateral wall MI due to acute LCX occlusion." — Acute coronary syndrome evaluation