Midline Cisterns and Spaces
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Let's take a look at cisterns and spaces
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on the sagittal thin section FLAIR image.
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Let's start down low.
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We've got the cisterna magna
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at the level of the foramen magnum.
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Anteriorly, the inferior premedullary cistern.
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Here's our fourth ventricle with
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the inferior midline opening,
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the foramen of Magendie.
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Just anterior to it is a little bump here,
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the medullary clava and the obex as a landmark.
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The vestigium of the fourth ventricle
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is pointed posteriorly,
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and its development and pointedness
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should be pointed out.
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Above the fourth ventricle continues as the aqueduct
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of sylvius. Above the cerebellum,
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the supra or superior cerebellar cistern,
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the cistern of the vein of Galen
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and the peripineal cistern.
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Anteriorly, the interpeduncular cistern
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through which the apparent exit of the third nerve
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can be found with the pre-pontine cistern
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off to the side will be the peripontine
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and perimedullary cisterns.
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And off to the side, you'll find the foramina of Luschka
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at lateral recesses of the fourth.
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We don't see them on the midline cut.
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The third ventricle is a little bit squirrely.
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It's got a few recesses.
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Let's draw them in.
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We've got a recess above the pineal gland
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called a supra pineal recess.
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A little nubbin that bumps right into the pineal
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called the pineal recess of the third.
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Then as we come forward,
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we've got the supra infundibular recess right here.
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And then we also have anterior to that,
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the supraoptic recess in front of it.
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The four recesses of the third ventricle.
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And we've also got the suprasellar cistern and volume
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averaged is the midline portion of the lateral ventricle.
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Those are the major cisterns that you see on a
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aagittal midline view.
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Pomeranz out.
Stephen J Pomeranz, MD
Chief Medical Officer, ProScan Imaging. Founder, MRI Online
ProScan Imaging
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