Intracranial Arteries Overview

Lateral posterior choroidal

artery

Pulvinar of thalamus

Medial posterior choroidal

artery

Posterior thalamoperforating

arteries

Posterior communicating

artery (cut off)

Oculomotor nerve (CN3)

Anterior temporal artery (cut

off)

Splenial artery

Parietooccipital artery

Calcarine artery

Superior cerebellar artery

Posterior communicating

arteries

Anterior temporal artery

Oculomotor nerve (CN3)

Posterior temporal arteries

Calcarine (P4) segment

Calcarine artery and branches

Supraclinoid internal carotid

artery

Precommunicating (P1) PCA

segment

Ambient (P2) PCA segment

Quadrigeminal (P3) PCA

segment

Parietooccipital artery

(Top) Lateral graphic depicts the PCA and its branches. The tentorium and CN3 lie between the PCA above and the superior cerebellar

artery below. The PCA has central (perforating), choroidal, and cortical branches as well as a small branch to the corpus callosum

splenium. (Bottom) Submentovertex graphic shows the PCA and the relationship of its segments to the midbrain. The PCA supplies the

occipital lobe and almost all of the inferior surface of the temporal lobe (except for its tip). The precommunicating (P1) PCA segment

extends from the basilar bifurcation to the posterior communicating artery junction. The ambient (P2) segment swings posterolaterally

around the midbrain. The quadrigeminal segment (P3) lies behind the midbrain. The PCA terminal segment is the calcarine (P4)

segment.

GRAPHICS

Brain: Pathology-Based Diagnoses: Malformations,

Trauma, and Stroke

60