Arteries of the Head

Description

Shown in lateral profile, the cerebral hemisphere dominates the field with cortical gyri and sulci, while the cerebellum sits posteroinferiorly with its folia clearly separated from the occipital lobe by the transverse fissure. Along the basal and inferolateral surface, arterial channels consistent with the internal carotid artery system and vertebrobasilar system give rise to the major cerebral branches, with smaller arterioles tracking over the pia mater into sulcal depths. Inferiorly, the brainstem (pons and medulla oblongata) continues toward the upper cervical cord, providing the midline reference for vessels that course anterior to the cerebellum and posterior to the clivus region. Cranial nerve trajectories are suggested by slender colored bundles emerging from the ventral brainstem and passing anterolaterally. A lateral rendering like this helps clarify how the middle cerebral artery fans across the lateral convexity compared with the more superior course of the anterior cerebral artery and the posterior distribution of the posterior cerebral artery around the midbrain. That territorial logic matters when you are teaching stroke syndromes, such as contralateral face and arm weakness from an MCA infarct, or visual field loss tied to PCA involvement at the occipital cortex. It also supports discussion of aneurysm-prone branch points around the circle of Willis, even when the full ring is not seen en face. Clinically, anatomy that maps cleanly to deficits. Use this plate in neuroanatomy and cerebrovascular modules to pair surface landmarks with arterial territories, and in neurology or neurosurgery texts when introducing ischemic stroke localization, subarachnoid hemorrhage patterns, or the corridor relationships around the brainstem and cerebellopontine angle. It also fits well in patient education materials explaining why a clot in a head artery produces symptoms in specific cortical regions. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.