The prepontine cistern, or pontine cistern is one of the subarachnoid cisterns situated ventral to the

pons The pons (from Latin , "bridge") is part of the brainstem that in humans and other mammals, lies inferior to the midbrain, superior to the medulla oblongata and anterior to the cerebellum. The pons is also called the pons Varolii ("bridge of ...

. It contains the

basilar artery The basilar artery (U.K.: ; U.S.: ) is one of the arteries that supplies the brain with oxygen-rich blood. The two vertebral arteries and the basilar artery are known as the vertebral basilar system, which supplies blood to the posterior part o ...

. Each

lateral aperture The lateral aperture, lateral aperture of fourth ventricle or foramen of Luschka (after anatomist Hubert von Luschka)Hube ...

opens into the pontine cistern just posterior to the cranial nerve VIII.

Anatomy

The pontine cistern is situated ventral to the pons, in the interval between ventral aspect of the

, and the clivus.

The cistern contains the origin of the abducens nerve (CN VI), the

and the origin of the basilar artery and of its branches, and the

anterior inferior cerebellar artery The anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) is one of three pairs of artery, arteries that supplies blood to the cerebellum. It arises from the basilar artery on each side at the level of the junction between the medulla oblongata and the pons ...

, and

superior cerebellar artery The superior cerebellar artery (SCA) is an artery of the head. It arises near the end of the basilar artery. It is a branch of the basilar artery. It supplies parts of the cerebellum, the midbrain, and other nearby structures. It is the cause of t ...

Relations

It is continuous inferiorly with the subarachnoid space of the spinal canal, posterolaterally with the cerebellopontine cistern of either side, and rostrally/anteriorly with the

interpeduncular cistern The interpeduncular cistern (or basal cistern) is the subarachnoid cistern situated between the dorsum sellae (anteriorly) and the two cerebral peduncles at the front of the midbrain. Its roof is represented by the floor of the third ventricle ...

References

Meninges {{Neuroanatomy-stub

Anatomy

Contents

Relations

References