Vascular Supply and Territories of the Cerebellum

Abstract

Within the posterior circulation, Caplan and colleagues characterized brain and vascular structures as involving the proximal, middle, and distal posterior circulation territories. The proximal intracranial posterior circulation territory includes regions supplied by the intracranial vertebral arteries (ICVAs)-the medulla oblongata and the posterior inferior cerebellar arteries (PICAs)-supplied region of the cerebellum. The ICVAs join at the medullo-pontine junction to form the basilar artery (BA). The middle intracranial posterior circulation territory includes the portion of the brain supplied by the BA up to its superior cerebellar artery (SCA) branches- the pons and the AICA-supplied portions of the cerebellum. The BA divides to form the 2 posterior cerebral arteries (PCAs) at the junction between the pons and the midbrain, just beyond the origins of the SCAs. The distal intracranial posterior circulation territory includes all of the territory supplied by the rostral BA and its SCA, PCA and their penetrating artery branches- midbrain, thalamus, SCA-supplied cerebellum, and PCA territories.