Anterior communicating artery

Last revised by Francis Deng ◉ on 22 Feb 2023

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Gaillard F, Deng F, Ashraf A, et al. Anterior communicating artery. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 03 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-4804

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-4804

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/4804

rID:

4804

Article created:

19 Oct 2008, Frank Gaillard ◉ ◈

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Frank Gaillard had no recorded disclosures.

View Frank Gaillard's current disclosures

Last revised:

22 Feb 2023, Francis Deng ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Francis Deng had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Francis Deng's current disclosures

Revisions:

14 times, by 10 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Vascular, Central Nervous System

Sections:

Anatomy

Tags:

neuroanatomy, artery

Synonyms:

Anterior communicating artery (ACOM)
ACOM
ACOMs
Anterior communicating arteries
AComm

The anterior communicating artery (often abbreviated ACom or AComm) arises from the anterior cerebral artery and acts as an anastomosis between the left and right anterior cerebral circulation. Approximately 4 mm in length, it demarcates the junction between the A1 and A2 segments of the anterior cerebral artery.

Branches

The anterior communicating artery gives off numerous small branches that go on to supply the following structures:

cingulate gyrus
anterior columns of the fornix
optic chiasm
lamina terminalis
hypothalamus
para-olfactory areas

Variant anatomy

anterior communicating artery duplication: incidence 18%
anterior communicating artery fenestration: incidence ~15% (range 12-21%)
anterior communicating artery origin of frontopolar artery, resulting in an anterior cerebral artery "trifurcation" or "triplication" appearance: incidence ~7.5% (range 2-13%)
absent anterior communicating artery: incidence 5% (at surgical dissection) ²

If the vessel is not well seen on routine angiography, cross-compression view of the anterior cerebral artery/anterior communicating artery complex can be performed.