Posterior Perspective of the Arteries of the Head

Description

Posteriorly, the occipital lobes and cerebellar hemispheres frame the vertebrobasilar circulation as the paired vertebral arteries ascend through the foramen magnum to unite as the basilar artery on the ventral surface of the pons, feeding posterior inferior cerebellar, anterior inferior cerebellar, and superior cerebellar branches that wrap laterally toward the cerebellopontine angles. Superior to the brainstem, the posterior cerebral arteries course around the midbrain to supply the posterior cerebrum, while occipital artery branches track in the posterior scalp, superficial to the occipital bone and deep to the galea aponeurotica. Midline continuity from medulla to cervical spinal cord is shown, with segmental spinal nerves emerging bilaterally and projecting laterally. This posterior perspective anchors the teaching of posterior circulation syndromes, where vertebral artery dissection, basilar thrombosis, or PICA territory infarction can present with vertigo, ataxia, dysarthria, and crossed brainstem findings rather than the face and arm deficits typical of anterior circulation stroke. It also clarifies why suboccipital surgical corridors and far-lateral approaches demand a disciplined awareness of the vertebral artery’s course near the occipital condyle and the lower cranial nerve rootlets at the medullary level. A tight space. Use this artwork in neuroanatomy and cerebrovascular modules to pair arterial territories with posterior fossa clinical localization, in neurosurgery or neuroradiology teaching files when introducing vertebrobasilar CTA/MRA interpretation, or in patient-facing stroke education that distinguishes posterior circulation warning signs. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.