Cerebellopontine angle cistern

The cerebellopontine angle cistern is, also known as the pontocerebellar cistern, is a triangular CSF-filled subarachnoid spacecistern that that lies between the anterior surface of the cerebellum and the lateral surface of the pons.

Gross anatomy

Boundaries

• superior: tentorium cerebelli
• posterior: anterior surface of cerebellum
• inferior: lower cranial nerves
• anterior: prepontine cistern
• anterolateral: posterior surface of petrous temporal bone, including internal acoustic meatus
• medial: pons

Contents

• CN VII 
• CN VIII 
• flocculus of the cerebellum
• foramen Luschka of the 4^th ventricle
• anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA)

Relations

• CN V lies superior to this space
• CN IX, CN X, and CN XI lie inferior
• the middle cerebellar peduncle is inferior

Related pathology

• cerebellopontine angle masses
  • acoustic schwannomas (nearly 80% of all CP angle tumours)
  • meningiomas
  • epidermoid cysts
  • dermoid tumours
  • arachnoid cysts
  • lipomas
  • metastatic tumours
  • vascular tumours