Vessel's name
Origin
Internal Carotid System: see pic. 1,2
Region supply
Interesting info
Internal carotid
artery
Common carotid
artery
-
Collateral branches
Internal carotid
artery
-
Hypophysial Arteries
Post.
Communicating
arteries that arise
from internal carotid
Post. arteries-Post.
Neural lobe of
pituitary gland.
Ophthalamic artery
Internal carotid
Post.
Communicating
artery
Internal Carotid
Eye and other orbital
contents, frontal area
of scalp, frontal &
ethmoid paranasal
sinuses and parts of
the nose.
-
Divide into middle &
ant. Cerebral
arteries. Could be
seen beyond Optic
nerve and lateral to
the optic chiasm or
under the Ant.
Perforated
substance.
It arises from the
internal carotid just
before it's terminal
bifurcation.
Ant. Arteries-the
hypothalamic
factors have access
to its capillaries,
controlling the
output of pituitary
hormones.
The 1st branch of
internal carotid after
it enters the
subarachnoid space,
it passes through the
optic foramen.
After it arises it run
backward to join the
proximal part of
Post. Cerebral
artery.
Ant. Choroidal artery
Internal carotid
Subthalamus, ventral
parts of thalamus &
rostral parts of
midbrain.
It's temporal branches
supply: choroid plexus
in inf. Horn of lateral
ven. and Anastomose
(With the post.
Choroidal artery).
The artery passes
along the optic tract
and choroid fissure
at the medial edge
of temporal lobe. It
send branches to:
optic tract, uncus,
amygdala,
hippocampus, GP,
LGB & ventral part
of int. capsule.
Middle Cerebral
Artery
Internal Carotid
+Internal structures
including internal
capsule.
++ It also supplies a
large cortex and
subcortical white
matter of Frontal,
Parietal and temporal
lobes.
Ant. Cerebral Artery
Internal Carotid
Medial striate artery:
ventral part of the
head of the Caudate,
and adjacent part of
Putamen, ant. And
genu of int. capsule.
Distal branches:
medial part of orbital
surface of frontal
lobe, including the
olfactory bulb & tract.
The larger between
the terminal
branches of the
internal carotid, and
the most continuous
of the parent. It runs
deep in the lateral
sulcus, the central
arteries arise from
its proximal part,
entering the base of
hemisphere. Also a
temporal, frontal
and parietal
branches emerge
from the lateral
sulcus supplying ++.
It has a vast territory
of distribution.
The lt. middle
cerebral artery in
most people
supplies all the areas
concerned with
language*.
The smaller terminal
branch of the
Carotid , directed
medially above the
Optic N., the Lt. &
Rt. Almost meet at
the midline but
they're joined by the
Ant. Communicating
A., just above the
connection, there's a
Anterior Cerebral:
medial surfaces of
frontal & parietal
lobes, along with, the
Corpus Callosum,
lateral surface of the
hemisphere including,
Supplementary and
cingulate motor area,
and dorsal parts of
primary
motor/somatosensory
areas.
VIB**, called medial
striate artery
(penetrate the Ant.
Perforated
substance).
The ant. Cerebral
ascends in the
longitudinal fissure.
Pericallosal and
callasomarginal is
branches, the one
continues along the
upper surface of CC,
and the other with
the Cingulate sulcus.
Rostral segment of
cervical cord.
Ant. & Post. Spinal:
partly the spinal cord
The anterior spinal
artery arises from
the two vertebral's
arteries
contribution, the
posterior spinal
artery arise from
either the vertebral
itself or the PICA
(soon).
The Ant. & Post. run
throughout the
spinal cord and
along with the
radicular arteries
which reinforce the
two arteries with
blood.
Largest branch of
Vertebral A., it run in
irregular course
around Medulla and
Cerebellum.
It also had branches
to the dorsolateral
region of the
medulla.
Vertebrobasilar System:see pic.3
Verteblar Artery Branches:
Spinal Arteries
Vertebral Artery
Posterior Inferior
Cerebellar Artery PICA
Vertebral Artery
Basilar Artery Branches:
Anterior Inferior
Basilar artery
Cerebellar ArteryAICA
Labyrinthine Artery
AICA/Basilar Artery
Post. Cerebellar
hemisphere, inf.
Vermis, Central Nuclei
of Cerebellum &
Choroid Plexus of 4th
ventricle.
Dorsolateral region of
Medulla.
Cortex and inf.
Surface and the white
matter beyond of the
cerebellum
Somewhere in the
A slender twig of the
AICA penetrate the
upper Medulla and
the lower Pons
tegmentum.
Sometimes it arises
inner ear.
Pontine Arteries
Basilar Artery
Superior Cerebellar
Artery
Posterior Cerebral
Artery


Paramedian Pontine:
Basal part of Pons
including, most
corticospinal fibers,
Pontine nuclei and
transverse fibers.
Also, medial part of
Pontine tegmentum.
Cercumferential
Pontine: lateral parts
of Pons, middle
cerebellar peduncle
and lateral
tegmentum part.
Cortex, white matter
and Central Nuclei.
Besides, some
proximal parts supply
sup. Pontine
tegmentum, sup.
Cerebellar peduncle
and inf. Colliculus.
Peripheral strip on
lateral surface.
Calcarine branch
Vision's cortex
Te,poral branch
Hippocampal Gyrus
along with parts of
Hippocampus.
Post. choroidal the
choroid plexus of
body of lateral Ven.
and that of 3rd Ven.
the post. paty of
thalamus, Fornix,
midbrain's tectum
from the basilar but
more frequently
from the AICA.
Nothing interesting
Arise close to the
terminal bifurcation
of the Basilar.
Arise at the terminal
bifurcation of the
Basilar.
The terminal
branches of post.
choroidal
anastomose with
those of ant.
Cerebral within the
choroid plexus of
lateral Ven..
*The cortical area concerned with language in the temporal & parietal lobe and Broca's
expressive speech in inf. Frontal gyrus.
**VIB=Very Important Branch  .
Anastomoses between Cortical Arteries:
the anastomoses of the ant., post. and middle cerebral arteries are concealed in sulci. The
anasthomotic vessels may sustain other's vessels territory, the cerebral arteries are also
connected through an arterioles in the Pia matter.
Anastomoses = ‫ مفاغرة‬,‫השקה‬
Circle Of Willis:
Ant. Communicating  Ant. Cerebral  Internal Carotid (a short segment)  Post.
Communicating  Posterior Cerebral, then and back again…
Through the Communicating arteries, a little blood exchange occurs. The little circle provide
alternative ways if some big artery, somehow, occluded. But unfortunately the little
anastomoses is not always enough, e.g. elderly people.
For further reading please look up circle of Willis in Barr's, p. 375.
Central Arteries and their distribution:
An arteries that arise from the area of the Circle of Willis as four groups. These thin blood
vessels also called, ganglionic, nuclear, striate or thalamic perforating arteries, supply parts
of the corpus striatum, internal Capsule, Diencephalon and midbrain.
pic.1
pic.2
pic.3