Overview
One of the three major paired arteries that supply blood the brain.
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Segments & Course
M1 – sphenoidal or horizontal segment
- Originates at the terminal bifurcation of the internal carotid artery
- Courses laterally parallel to the sphenoid ridge
- Terminates either at the:
- genu adjacent to the limen insulae
- main bifurcation
M2 – insular segment
- Originates at the genu/limen insulae or the main bifurcation
- Courses posterosuperiorly in the insular cleft
- Terminates at the circular sulcus of insula
M3 – opercular segment
- Originates at the circular sulcus of the insula
- Courses laterally along the frontoparietal operculum
- Terminates at the external/superior surface of the Sylvian fissure
M4 – cortical segment
- Originates at the external/top surface of the Sylvian fissure
- Courses superiorly on the lateral convexity of the hemisphere
- Terminates the final cortical territory
Branches
M1
- Medial lenticulostriate – supplies the globus pallidus and medial portion of the putamen
- Lateral lenticulostriate – supplies the lateral portion of the putamen, external capsule, and upper internal capsule
- shorter in length and arise distal to the medial lenticulostriate artery
- Anterior temporal – supplies the anterior third of the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri
- Polar temporal – supplies the polar and anterolateral portions of the temporal lobe
M2
- Superior terminal branch
- Lateral frontobasal
- Prefrontal sulcal
- Precentral and central sulcal
- Inferior terminal branch
- Anterior, middle and posterior temporal branches
- Branch to the angular gyrus
- Anterior and posterior parietal branches
Variants
- MCA duplication
- Accessory MCA