Body Atlas

Follow the Blood · Heart

Why is it called an artery if the blood is oxygen-poor?

The unusual artery that carries oxygen-poor blood.

The simple answer

One artery carries oxygen-poor blood — the famous exception. It's the pulmonary artery, taking used blood from your heart's right side to your lungs.

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There's more: the unusual artery that carries oxygen-poor blood. The full explanation — and the interactive version you can tap and quiz yourself on — lives in the app.

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