Artery of Percheron

The artery of Percheron is a rare variant of the posterior aspect of thalamic blood supply. The thalami and the midbrain are supplied by both the anterior and posterior circulations.

Anterior Circulation

The anteroinferior aspects of the thalami and midbrain are supplied by the thalamoperforator arteries arising from the posterior communicating arteries.

Posterior circulation

The medial aspects of the thalami and midbrain are supplied via branches arising from P1 segments of the posterior cerebral arteries.

The lateral and superior aspects of the thalami are supplied by branches arising from the P2 segments of the posterior cerebral arteries.

The artery of Percheron refers to a single trunk that arises from one of the P1 segments and provides bilateral distribution.

Occlusion of the artery of Percheron causes bilateral infarctions in the medial aspects of thalami and brainstem.

References

Matheusa MG and Castilloa M. Imaging of Acute Bilateral Paramedian Thalamic and Mesencephalic Infarcts. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2003 Nov-Dec;24(10):2005-8.