Anterior inferior cerebellar artery

Anterior inferior cerebellar artery
The three major arteries of the cerebellum: the SCA, anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA), and PICA.
Diagram of the arterial circulation at the base of the brain (inferior view). AICA is labeled at lower right.
Details
SourceBasilar artery
BranchesLabyrinthine artery
VeinInferior cerebellar veins
SuppliesAnteroinferior surface of the cerebellum, the flocculus, middle cerebellar peduncle and inferolateral portion of the pons.
Identifiers
Latinarteria cerebelli inferior anterior
TA98A12.2.08.019
TA24550
FMA50544
Anatomical terminology

The anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) is one of three pairs of arteries that supplies blood to the cerebellum.

It arises from the basilar artery on each side at the level of the junction between the medulla oblongata and the pons in the brainstem. It has a variable course, passing backward to be distributed to the anterior part of the undersurface of the cerebellum, anastomosing with both the posterior inferior cerebellar (PICA) branch of the vertebral artery and the superior cerebellar artery.

It also gives off the internal auditory or labyrinthine artery in most cases; however, the labyrinthine artery can less commonly emerge as a branch of the basilar artery.

The amount of tissue receiving blood supply from the AICA is variable, depending upon whether the PICA is more or less dominant, but usually includes the anteroinferior surface of the cerebellum, the flocculus, middle cerebellar peduncle and inferolateral portion of the pons.[1]

  1. ^ Jones, Jeremy; Gaillard, Frank. "Anterior inferior cerebellar artery". Radiopaedia.org. Retrieved 31 May 2015.