| Abbr |
Name of Artery |
Distribution |
| ACA |
Anterior Cerebral Artery |
Supplies most medial portions of frontal lobes and superior medial parietal lobes |
| AComA |
Anterior Communicating Artery |
Connects the anterior cerebral arteries at their closest juncture |
| ICA |
Internal Carotid Artery |
Ascends through base of skull to give rise to the anterior and middle cerebral arteries, and connect with posterior half of circle of Willis via posterior communicating artery |
| MCA |
Middle Cerebral Artery |
Trifurcates into temporal, frontal, and parietal branches that supply most of the parenchyma of these lobes |
| PComA |
Posterior Communicating Artery |
Connects the anterior circle of Willis with the posterior cerebral artery of vertebral-basilar circulation posteriorly |
| PCA |
Posterior Cerebral Artery |
Supplies the occipital lobe and the inferior portion of temporal lobe. A branch supplies the choroid plexus. |
| SCA |
Superior Cerebellar Artery |
Supplies the dorsal cerebellum, pons, and midbrain |
| BA |
Basilar Artery |
Formed by the junction of the two vertebral arteries, it terminates as a bifurcation into the posterior cerebral arteries |
| AICA |
Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery |
Supplies the inferior cerebellum and portions of pons and medulla |
| VA |
Vertebral Artery |
The vertebrals emerge from the posterior base of skull and merge to form the basilar artery |
| PICA |
Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery |
Supplies the posterior cerebellum, choroid plexus in 4th ventricle, and portions of medulla |
| ASA |
Anterior Spinal Artery |
Descends along the anterior (ventral) aspect of the spinal cord |