Superior Cerebellar Arteries Originating from the Posterior Cerebral Arteries but Normal Course of the Oculomotor Nerves.

Cureus. 2018 Jul 5;10(7):e2932. doi: 10.7759/cureus.2932.

Dalip D, Iwanaga J, Loukas M, Oskouian RJ, Tubbs RS.

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Abstract

The posterior cerebral artery (PCA) is a branch of the terminal part of the basilar artery and perfuses the temporal lobes, midbrain, thalamus, and the posterior inferior portion of the parietal lobes. It is divided into P1-P4 segments. Variations in the P1 segment of the PCA are important to neurosurgeons when performing surgery, for example, on basilar tip aneurysms. We report bilateral superior cerebellar artery (SCA) arising from the P1 segment of the PCA. Such a configuration appears to be uncommon but should be kept in mind by neurosurgeons, neurointerventionalists, and neuroradiologists.

KEYWORDS:

anatomy; basilar artery; posterior cerebral artery; superior cerebellar artery; variations

Figure 1

Inferior view of the basal brain and associated neurovascular structures.

Note the posterior cerebral arteries (PCA), superior cerebellar arteries (SCA), oculomotor (CN III) and trochlear nerves (CN IV) and posterior communicating artery (PComm). Note that the left and right SCAs arise from the P1 segments of the PCA.