Middle cerebellar peduncle
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Smith C, Sharma R, Deng F, et al. Middle cerebellar peduncle. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 20 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-54695
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rID:
54695
Article created:
23 Jul 2017,
Callum Smith
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Callum Smith had no recorded disclosures.
View Callum Smith's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Rohit Sharma had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Rohit Sharma's current disclosures
Revisions:
10 times, by
5 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
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Synonyms:
- Middle cerebellar peduncles
- Brachium pontis
The middle cerebellar peduncles (MCP), also known as the brachium pontis, are paired structures connecting the cerebellum to the pons.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
The middle cerebellar peduncles contain afferent white matter projection fibers which originate in contralateral pontine nuclei. The corticopontocerebellar pathway is the predominant afferent fiber pathway that passes through the middle cerebellar peduncles. The corticopontocerebellar pathway itself is involved in the communication between the cerebellum and the prefrontal cortex for the coordination and planning of motor tasks.
Arterial supply
The middle cerebellar peduncles receive their arterial blood supply through branches of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery and the superior cerebellar artery.
Venous drainage
Venous drainage occurs mainly through veins of the anterior (petrosal) posterior fossa group which empty into the sigmoid and inferior petrosal sinuses.
Radiographic features
See below articles for further discussion of radiographic features of pathologies and signs affecting the middle cerebellar peduncles:
Clinical importance
Diseases affecting the middle cerebellar peduncles present with clinical signs ipsilateral to the middle cerebellar peduncle lesion. This is a result of the dual decussation of cerebellar pathways 1-4.
References
- 1. Morales H, Tomsick T. Middle cerebellar peduncles: Magnetic resonance imaging and pathophysiologic correlate. World journal of radiology. 7 (12): 438-47. doi:10.4329/wjr.v7.i12.438 - Pubmed
- 2. Kouichirou Okamoto, Susumu Tokiguchi, Tetsuya Furusawa, Kazuhiro Ishikawa, Akther F. Quardery, Satoru Shinbo, Keisuke Sasai. MR Features of Diseases Involving Bilateral Middle Cerebellar Peduncles. American Journal of Neuroradiology. 24 (10): 1946. Pubmed
- 3. Mcminn. Last's Anatomy. ISBN: 9780729537520
- 4. Toshio Matsushima. Microsurgical Anatomy and Surgery of the Posterior Cranial Fossa. ISBN: 9784431541837
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Superior cerebellar artery
- Inferior medullary velum
- Fourth ventricle
- CLCN2-related leukoencephalopathy
- Pontine haemorrhage
- Anterior inferior cerebellar artery
- Inferior medial pontine syndrome
- JC virus granule cell neuronopathy
- Superior petrosal vein
- Bilateral middle cerebellar peduncle lesions
- Pons
- Facial nucleus
- Spetzler-Martin arteriovenous malformation grading system
- Medical abbreviations and acronyms (M)
- Hot cross bun sign (pons)
- Multiple system atrophy
- Cerebellum
Cases:
- Guineafowl (Rorschach radiology)
- Susac syndrome
- Pontocerebellar hypoplasia
- Incidentally discovered metastatic renal cell carcinoma
- Pontocerebellar hypoplasia
- Cerebellar peduncles (Gray's illustration)
- Cerebellar peduncles (Gray's illustration)
- Cavernoma - middle cerebellar peduncle
- Acoustic neuroma with obstructive hydrocephalus
- Meningioma of the cerebellopontine angle
- Cerebral metastases from lung cancer with amyloid angiopathy and cerebellopontine angle meningioma
- Epidermoid cyst compressing the trigeminal nerve
- Maple syrup urine disease
- Meningioma - cerebellopontine angle
- Neurofibromatosis type 2
- Olivopontocerebellar atrophy
- Decussation of the superior cerebellar peduncle on diffusion tensor imaging
- Malignant degeneration of low grade glioma
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