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Thalamic Arteries
THALAMOTUBERAL ARTERY:
- Emanates from the posterior communicating artery.
Alternate names - anterior thalamoperforating artery, premammillary artery, and polar artery.
- Supplies the anterior thalamus, specifically the ventroanterior nucleus, ventrolateral nucleus, and the anterior portion of the medial thalamic nuclei.
- Emerges from the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) lateral to the posterior communicating artery.
- Supplies the medial thalamus (the medial posterior pulvinar and medial geniculate body (of the metathalamus)).
Dorsally, its arterial supply extends anteriorly.
Ventrally, its distribution is more posterior.
LATERAL POSTERIOR CHOROIDAL ARTERY:
- Emerges lateral to the medial posterior choroidal artery.
- Supplies the lateral pulvinar, dorsomedial thalamic nucleus, and lateral geniculate body (of the metathalamus).
Dorsally its supply is restricted to the medial posterior thalamus.
Ventrally its supply extends out laterally.
THALAMOPERFORATING ARTERIES:
- Emanate from the PCA medial to the posterior communicating artery.
Alternate names - thalamic-subthalamic arteries, paramedian arteries, posterior inferior optic arteries, and deep interpeduncular profunda arteries.
- Supply the medial portion of the thalamus.
Dorsally, the medial extent of their supply ends at the medial posterior choroidal artery territory.
Ventrally, their supply extends to the medial edge of the thalamus.
ARTERY OF PERCHERON:
* Anatomic variant wherein this common stem emanates from one PCA and provides thalamoperforating branches to the bilateral medial thalamic and extra-thalamic thalamoperforating territories.
THALAMOGENICULATE ARTERIES:
- Lie in between the posterior choroidal arteries.
- Supply the lateral thalamus and help supply the geniculate bodies.
Dorsally, their supply extends posteriorly.
Ventrally, it extends anteriorly.
THALAMIC ARTERIES also help supply many other diencephalic structures - the hypothalamus, subthalamus, optic tracts, and internal capsule; and they also help supply certain upper brainstem structures, as well as the choroid plexus and hippocampus.