1. Dr. Yaser Abdulghani AlQasimi, MBBS Radiology Demonstrator, KAU
Brain Cisterns
Dr. Yaser Abdulghani AlQasimi, MBBS
Radiology Demonstrator, KAU

2. Brain Meninges
3 layer system of membranes which envelops the central nervous system.
Layers are:
Dura mater
Arachnoid mater
Pia mater

6. Cisterns
Cisterns are openings in the subarachnoid space of the brain created by a separation of the arachnoid and pia mater. These spaces are filled with CSF.

7. Brain Cisterns
There are many cisterns in the brain, but the notable ones include:
Cisterna magna (cerebellomedullary).
Cisterna pontis (pontine cistern).
Interpeduncular cistern.
Quadrigeminal cistern (superior cistern).
Ambient cistern.
Cistern of the velum interpositum.
Suprasellar/Chiasmatic cistern.
Cistern of lamina terminalis.
Supracallosal cistern.
Sylvian cistern.

8. Brain Cisterns

9. Brain Cisterns

10. Brain Cisterns

11. Cisterna Magna
Lies behind the medulla and below the cerebellar hemispheres.
Continuos with 4th ventricle through median aperture of Magendie.
Its lateral part contains the vertebral artery and its posterior inferior cerebellar branch.

12. Cisterna Magna

13. Cisterna Magna

14. Cisterna Magna

15. Pontine Cistern Lies between the pons and the clivus.
Receives CSF from lateral apertures of 4th ventricle (Luschka).
Continuous above with the interpeduncular cistern.
It contains the basilar artery and its pontine and labyrinthine branches.

16. Pontine cistern

17. Pontine Cisterns

18. Pontine Cistern

19. Interpeduncular Cistern
Lies between the cerebral peduncles.
Continuous below with the pontine cistern, laterally with the ambient cisterns, and superiorly with the suprasellar cistern.
It contains the posterior part of the arterial circle of Willis.

20. Interpeduncular Cistern

21. Interpeduncular Cistern

22. Interpeduncular Cistern

23. Quadrigeminal Cistern
lies posterior to qudrigeminal plate of the midbrain and between the splenium above and the vermis below.
It is continuous with the interpeduncular cistern anteriorly through the ambient cisterns.
Contains the great cerebral vein of Galen.

24. Quadrigeminal Cistern

25. Quadrigeminal Cistern

26. Quadrigeminal Cistern

27. Ambient Cistern
sheet like cistern that extend around both sides of midbrain between the interpeduncular cistern anteriorly and the qudrigeminal cistern posteriorly.
the posterior cerebral artery and the basal vein lie in the anterior part of each ambient cistern.

28. Ambient Cistern

29. Ambient Cistern

30. Ambient Cistern

31. Suprasellar / Chiasmatic Cisterns
Suprasellar cistern lies above the pituitary fossa and is continuous posteriorly with the interpeduncular cistern and laterally with the sylvian cistern.
It contains the anterior part of the circle of Willis and the optic nerve as it passes to the chiasm.
Chiasmatic cistern is the part of suprasellar cistern that is anterior to the optic nerve.

32. Suprasellar / Chiasmatic Cisterns

33. Suprasellar / Chiasmatic Cisterns

34. Sylvian Cistern
This is the area of sylvian fissure.

35. Sylvian Cistern

36. Sylvian Cistern

37. Cistern of lamina terminalis / Pericallosal Cistern
The cistern of lamina terminalis is the superior extension of suprasellar and chiasmatic cisterns that extend to the superior surface of corpus callosum as the pericallosal (supracallosal) cistern.
Pericallosal cistern is continuous posteriorly with the quadrigeminal cistern.
It contains branches of the anterior cerebral artery.

38. Cistern of lamina terminalis / Pericallosal Cistern

39. Cistern of lamina terminalis / Pericallosal Cistern

40. Cistern of lamina terminalis / Pericallosal Cistern

41. Cistern of lamina terminalis / Pericallosal Cistern

42. Thank You