basilar artery

Diagram of
cerebellum blood supply
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Schematic
representation of the circle of Willis, arteries of the brain and brain stem. Feel free to improve (edit) this representation!
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Cerebral
angiography, injection in the left vertebral artery, with retrograde flow in the contralateral vertebral artery, the basilar artery and the posterior communicating artery. The posterior cerebral circulation can be seen, including the posterior part of the Circle of Willis.
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The basilar artery is part of the posterior cerebral circulation. It arises from the confluence of the left and right vertebral arteries at the base of the pons as they rise towards the base of the brain.

Summary

Gross anatomy

Course

The basilar artery runs cranially in the central groove of the pons towards the midbrain within the pontine cistern. It travels within this groove from the lower pontine border adjacent to the exit of the abducens nerve to the upper pontine border and the appearance of the oculomotor nerve. It bifurcates at the upper pontine border.

Branches

Before terminating at the upper pontine border where it divides into the two posterior cerebral arteries, it provides several paired branches:

Variant anatomy

Related pathology

Siehe auch:
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