Pictures in medicine: This is a magnetic resonance angiogram of the brain. Angiography uses contrast dye injected into the bloodstream to highlight vessels throughout the body. . The angiogram here gives us a high-resolution glimpse of the vasculature that supplies each region of the brain. A birdseye view into the very vessels we strive to preserve through diet, exercise, and avoidance of harmful toxins like smoking. . Three main arteries supply the brain's cerebral hemispheres. The anterior cerebral artery, one of the two terminal branches of the internal carotid artery, runs anteriorly in the longitudinal cerebral fissure between the two brain hemispheres, and supplies blood to the rostral portion of the frontal lobe and mediodorsal aspect of the prefrontal cortex as well as the primary motor/somatosensory cortices. The middle cerebral artery, the other of the two terminal branches of the internal carotid, runs laterally along the base of the hemispheres and provides nourishment to the lateral surfaces of the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes. Finally, the posterior cerebral artery, which arises as the terminal branch of the basilar artery, supports the inferior half of the temporal lobe and the rest of the occipital lobe extending to the somatosensory cortex medially. . This anatomy lesson aside, it's no mystery that our very existence is dependent on the brain maintaining consistent blood flow. What a glimpse into the extended super-highway and Byzantine Conduit that our blood must go through in order to bring vital nutrients to the brain. . 📸: MGH Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
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