Arterial territories of human brain: brainstem and cerebellum

Abstract

The development of neuroimaging has allowed clinicians to improve clinicoanatomic correlations in patients with strokes. Brainstem and cerebellum structures are well delineated on MRI, but there is a lack of standardization in their arterial supply. We present a system of 12 brainstem and cerebellum axial sections, depicting the dominant arterial territories and the most important anatomic structures. These sections may be used as a practical tool to determine arterial territories on MRI, and may help establish consistent clinicoanatomic correlations in patients with brainstem and cerebellar ischemic strokes.