Which vessel lies posterior to the head of the pancreas?

• A. Inferior Vena Cava
• B. Portal Vein
• C. Splenic Artery
• D. Superior Mesenteric Artery

Answer: (A)

The head of the pancreas sits in the curve of the duodenum, with the inferior vena cava lying directly behind it on the right side. This posterior relationship is a classic anatomical cue: the IVC tracks closely to the posterior surface of the pancreatic head. The portal vein, formed behind the neck of the pancreas, lies behind that region as it ascends in the hepatoduodenal ligament, but not behind the pancreatic head itself. The splenic artery runs along the superior border of the pancreas, and the superior mesenteric artery passes anterior to the vertical part of the duodenum and behind the neck, not directly behind the head. So the vessel located posterior to the head of the pancreas is the inferior vena cava.