External Carotid Termination — MFDS Part 1 MCQ
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Correct answer: B — Maxillary artery and superficial temporal artery
The correct answer is B. The external carotid artery ascends into the parotid region and normally terminates posteromedial to the neck of the mandible by dividing into the maxillary and superficial temporal arteries. The maxillary artery passes forwards into the infratemporal fossa, while the superficial temporal artery continues superiorly and crosses the zygomatic arch. The lingual, facial, ascending pharyngeal and occipital arteries are collateral branches arising before the terminal division. The internal carotid and vertebral arteries are separate major arteries, not external carotid branches. The superior thyroid artery is an external carotid branch, but the inferior thyroid artery usually arises from the thyrocervical trunk.
Reference: Moraru L, Rusu MC, Popescu ŞA. True terminal pentafurcation of the external carotid artery and terminal trifurcation of the contralateral one, occipitoauricular trunk, retropharyngeal internal carotid artery. Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy. 2021;43:1895–1900. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31194441/