Sylvian cistern

The Sylvian cistern, also known as the insular cistern, is one of the CSF-filled subarachnoid cisterns.

Gross anatomy

There are two paired cisterns on either side. It is the transitional subarachnoid space between the rest of the basal cisterns and the Sylvian fissure (lateral sulcus) .

Boundaries

• insular cortex (island of Reil)
• opercular cortex: fronto-orbital, fronto-parietal and temporal

Contents

• middle cerebral artery: proximal parts of the artery, including M1 segment and its branches (origin of the lenticulostriate arteries)
• collaterals to the basal vein of Rosenthal
• middle cerebral veins
• fronto-orbital veins

Relations

The cistern is intimately related to the sylvian fissure, insular cortex and the operculum.