Posterior Cerebral Artery
Anatomical segments
- P1: PCA from the origin to posterior communicating artery (AKA mesencephalic, precommunicating, circular, peduncular, basilar...). The long and short circumflex and thalamoperforating arteries arise from P1
- P2: PCA from origin of PComA to the origin of inferior temporal arteries (AKA ambient, post-communicating, perimesencephalic), P2 traverses the ambient cistern, hippocampal, anterior temporal, peduncular perforating, and medial posterior choroidal arteries arise from P2
- P3: PCA from the origin of the inferior temporal branches to the origin of the terminal branches (AKA quadrigeminal segment). P3 traverses the quadrigeminal cistern
- P4: segment after the origin of the parieto-occipital and calcarine arteries, includes the cortical branches of the PCA
P1 segment
P1 Segment | Feature |
---|---|
Posterior thalamoperforator arteries | From the basilar artery and P1, travels through the posterior perforated substance behind the mamillary bodies Supply: thalamus, hypothalamus, subthalamus, and midbrain (cranial nerves III and IV) |
Medial posterior choroidal arteries |
|
Meningeal branches | Supply: tentorium and the falx |
Vascular territory
- parietooccipital sulcus (medial) and inferior temporal sulcus (lateral)