Arterial Supply of the Brain Stem

00:00 Now, we will finish up. I want you to understand the arterial supply to the brainstem. We’re going to start at the level of the olive and then work our way toward the midbrain. We’ll have three supplies to this level of the medulla. The midline area here shaded in red is going to be supplied by the anterior spinal artery. As we work our way laterally, this shaded area in blue will be supplied by the vertebral artery.

00:39 Then the most lateral aspect shaded in green, this region will be supplied by the posterior inferior cerebellar artery that goes by the acronym PICA. There can be some overlap between these areas so they’re not quite as definitive or discreet as they’re made out here. But this gives you a general idea of the arterial supply to the medulla at the level of the olive. Here, we’re looking at a section of the rostral pons. In this area, the rostral pons will be supplied here laterally by the short circumferential branches of the basilar artery.

01:24 We have the long circumferential branches of the basilar artery here as well as branches coming from the superior cerebellar artery. Then lastly, this area in green will be from paramedian branches also of the basilar artery. Now, we’ll finish with the arterial supply to the rostral midbrain. This area here containing the superior colliculus, for example, is going to be supplied by the collicular artery. This is the P1 segment of the posterior cerebral artery. This area shaded in green is going to be supplied by the thalamoperforate arteries. These are branches of the posterior cerebral artery. Then the remaining area in blue will be supplied of the posterior cerebral artery. This area shaded in green is going to be supplied by the thalamoperforate arteries. These are branches of the posterior cerebral artery. Then the remaining area in blue will be supplied by medial posterior choroidal arteries and these are branches of the posterior cerebral artery.