The prepontine cistern, or pontine cistern is one of the
subarachnoid cisterns
The subarachnoid cisterns are spaces formed by openings in the subarachnoid space, an anatomic space in the meninges of the brain. The space is situated between the two meninges, the arachnoid mater and the pia mater. These cisterns are filled w ...
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
The vestibulocochlear nerve or auditory vestibular nerve, also known as the eighth cranial nerve, cranial nerve VIII, or simply CN VIII, is a cranial nerve that transmits sound and equilibrium (balance) information from the inner ear to the bra ...
.
Anatomy
The pontine cistern is situated ventral to the pons,
in the interval between ventral aspect of 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 ...
, and the
clivus.
Contents
The cistern contains the origin of the
abducens nerve (CN VI),
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 ...
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
In human anatomy, the spinal canal, vertebral canal or spinal cavity is an elongated body cavity enclosed within the dorsal bony arches of the vertebral column, which contains the spinal cord, spinal roots and dorsal root ganglia. It is a pro ...
, posterolaterally with the
cerebellopontine cistern
The cerebellopontine cistern (also pontocerebellar cistern, cerebellopontine angle cistern, or angle cistern) is a paired subarachnoid cistern at the cerebellopontine angle, an angle created between the cerebellum and the pons on either side. Each ...
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
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