Circular sulcus
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Debowski M, Hacking C, Knipe H, et al. Circular sulcus. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 16 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-67437
rID:
67437
Article created:
6 Apr 2019,
Maciej Debowski
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Maciej Debowski had no recorded disclosures.
View Maciej Debowski's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Craig Hacking had the following disclosures:
- Philips Australia, Paid speaker at Philips Spectral CT events (ongoing)
These were assessed during peer review and were determined to not be relevant to the changes that were made.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosures
Revisions:
7 times, by
4 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
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Synonyms:
- Circular sulcus of Reil
- Periinsular sulcus
- Circular sulcus
- Peri-insular sulcus
The circular sulcus, or peri-insular sulcus is a deep sulcus that surrounds the lateral surface of the insular cortex and separates it from the operculum of the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes. In this sulcus, the M2 segment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) completes a downward turn at the superior and inferior limiting sulci of the insula and passes into the opercular compartment to become the M3 segment of the MCA.
Gross anatomy
The circular sulcus can more precisely be divided into four peri-insular sulci: anterior, inferior, superior, and posterior. The circular sulcus is contiguous with the lateral (Sylvian) sulcus forming part of the operculoinsular compartment of the Sylvian fissure3.
History and etymology
The circular sulcus is also known as the circular sulcus of Reil, named after German anatomist, physiologist and pioneer psychiatrist Johann Christian Reil (1759-1813) 7.
References
- 1. The cerebral sulci and gyri. (2010) Neurosurgical Focus. 28 (2): E2. doi:10.3171/2009.11.FOCUS09245
- 2. Gaw A. 'The principles of a future pharmacology': Johann Christian Reil (1759-1813) and his role in the development of clinical pharmacology. European journal of clinical pharmacology. 72 (1): 13-7. doi:10.1007/s00228-015-1964-2 - Pubmed
- 3. Hirohiko Gibo, Christopher C. Carver, Albert L. Rhoton, Carla Lenkey, Robert J. Mitchell. Microsurgical anatomy of the middle cerebral artery. (1981) Journal of Neurosurgery. 54 (2): 151. doi:10.3171/jns.1981.54.2.0151
- 4. Wen, Hung Tzu, Rhoton, Albert L., de Oliveira, Evandro, Castro, Luiz Henrique M., Figueiredo, Eberval Gadelha, Teixeira, Manoel Jacobsen. Microsurgical Anatomy of the Temporal Lobe: Part 2—Sylvian Fissure Region and Its Clinical Application. (2009) Operative Neurosurgery. 65 (suppl_6): ons1. doi:10.1227/01.NEU.0000336314.20759.85
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