Arteries of the head: Vertebral artery (English)

The vertebral artery can be seen in its totality with four parts: prevertebral (V1), cervical (V2), atlantic (V3) and intracranial (V4). The most important branches originate in the intracranial segment: meningeal branches (that supply the meninges of the posterior fossa), posterior inferior cerebellar artery (a.k.a. PICA). The vertebral artery terminates by merging with the contralateral vertebral artery to form the basilar artery. Some branches of the basilar artery should also be recognized: the labyrinthine and pontine arteries can be noted, as well as the anterior inferior cerebellar arteries (a.k.a. AICA), the superior cerebellar arteries and the posterior cerebral arteries, which are its terminal branches.