Middle Cerebral Artery

Middle Cerebral Artery:

Territory:



Supplies most of lateral surface of hemisphere, part of internal capsule (posterior part of anterior limb and anterior part of posterior limb) and basal ganglia.

Origin:


Segments:





M1- ICA to Sylvian fissure (horizontal or Sphenoidal)
M2- Sylvian (within fissure; also Insular) post bifurcation into superior & inferior divisions. 
M3- Opercular: Top of fissure to cerebral cortex
M4- Cortical (cortical surface branches)




B

Branches:
NB superficial and deep

M1
Lateral lenticulostriate A. (NB ACA is the more medial vessel)

M2 (NB superior and inferior divisions) 
Branches supply temporal lobe and insular cortex, parietal lobe, inferolateral frontal lobe via:

Superior:
Lateral frontobasal A.
Prefrontal sulcas A.
Pre-Rolandic (Precentral) and Rolandic (central) sulcal A.

Inferior:
3 temporal branches (anterior, middle and posterior)
Branch to angular gyrus
2 parietal branches (anterior, posterior)


2-7 appear to be exclusively MCA branches. 1 shared with ACA. 8 PCA also.





M3 and M3
The above branches will have M3 and M4 portions

Anterior Cerebral Artery

Anterior Cerebral Artery

Territory:



Supplies most of medial surface of cerebral cortex (anterior 3/4), frontal pole and anterior portions of corpus callosum.
Perforating branches supply anterior limb of the internal capsule, inferior portions of caudate head and anterior globus pallidus.

Infarction will potentially cause (mainly) lower limb weakness, incontinence, abulia/motor aphasia, frontal lobe symptoms.


Origin


Segments



A1: ICA bifurcation to Acomm (horizontal)
A2: Acomm to origin of CMA around rostrum/genu junction (vertical)
A3: Genu to body of CC (proximal pericallosal)
A4/A5: Continuation of distal pericallosal (directly posterior)



NB angiographic sylvian point = apex of fissure sf. skull sylvian point a surface marking for fissure 3cm behind superior portion of zygomatic process








Branches

A1
Medial lenticulostriate A.
AComm A.

A2
Recurrent artery of Hubner (= medial striate A.). Supplies head of caudate and anterior limb of IC. (Can be A1 branch)
Orbitofrontal A.
Frontopolar A.

A3
Callosomarginal A. (in cingulate sulcus)
Pericallosal A.
Anterior (internal) frontal A.
Middle (internal) frontal A.
Posterior (internal) frontal A.
Paracentral A.


NB Striatum =  Caudate + IC + lentiform nucleus (which = putamen + GP).