arteria cerebri media

[TA] middle cerebral artery: the larger terminal branch of the internal carotid artery. It begins as single vessel (sphenoid part or pars sphenoidalis) and branches at the limen insulae, turning posterosuperiorly, usually into inferior terminal branches (rami terminales inferiores) that distribute below the sylvian fissure, and superior terminal branches (rami terminales superiores) that distribute above the sylvian fissure. The superior and inferior branches run first in the sylvian fissure (insular part or pars insularis), through the inner aspects of the opercula (opercular part), and finally end along the lateral surface of the cerebral hemisphere. Branches, anterolateral central, polar temporal, anterior temporal, and insular arteries, anterior temporal, middle temporal, posterior temporal, and temporooccipital branches, branch to angular gyrus, lateral frontobasal, prefrontal, anterior parietal, and posterior parietal arteries, and arteries of precentral, central, and postcentral sulci; distribution, orbital, frontal, parietal, and temporal cortex, corpus striatum, internal capsule. Called also sylvian artery. See also specific parts and see segments of middle cerebral artery, under segment.