Cisterna magna
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Jones J, Gaillard F, Campos A, et al. Cisterna magna. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 14 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-5860
rID:
5860
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Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Jeremy Jones had no recorded disclosures.
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Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Frank Gaillard had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Frank Gaillard's current disclosures
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12 times, by
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Synonyms:
- Posterior cerebellomedullary cistern
The cisterna magna (also known as the posterior cerebellomedullary cistern) is the largest of the CSF-filled subarachnoid cisterns.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
The cisterna magna is located between the cerebellum and the dorsal surface of the medulla oblongata at and above the level of the foramen magnum. CSF produced in the ventricular system drains into the cisterna magna from the fourth ventricle via the median aperture (of Magendie) and the lateral apertures (of Luschka) 1,2.
Several vessels and nerves course through the lateral part of the cistern:
Radiographic features
Ultrasound
cisterna magna normally measures between 2-10 mm in the second and third trimesters 4
CT/MRI
cisterna magna normally measures 3-8 mm in the midsagittal plane when measured from the posterior margin of the foramen magnum to the caudal margin of the inferior vermis 3
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Variant anatomy
References
- 1. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. (2008) ISBN: 9780443066849 - Google Books
- 2. Michael Schünke. Thieme Atlas of Anatomy. (2007) ISBN: 9783131421210 - Google Books
- 3. Epelman M, Daneman A, Blaser SI et-al. Differential diagnosis of intracranial cystic lesions at head US: correlation with CT and MR imaging. Radiographics. 2006;26 (1): 173-96. doi:10.1148/rg.261055033 - Pubmed citation
- 4. Filly R, Cardoza J, Goldstein R, Barkovich A. Detection of Fetal Central Nervous System Anomalies: A Practical Level of Effort for a Routine Sonogram. Radiology. 1989;172(2):403-8. doi:10.1148/radiology.172.2.2664864 - Pubmed
- 5. Paul Butler, Adam Mitchell, Jeremiah C. Healy et al. Applied Radiological Anatomy. (2012) ISBN: 9780521766661 - Google Books
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Articles:
- Cerebellum
- Ventricular system
- Dandy-Walker malformation
- Medulla oblongata
- Subarachnoid cisterns
- Head ultrasound
- Inferior medullary velum
- Cerebellar tonsils
- Fourth ventricle
- Cerebellomedullary cisterns
- Transcranial Doppler sonography (ultrasound)
- Superior cerebellar cistern
- Fetal transverse cerebellar diameter
- Blake's pouch cyst
- Second trimester ultrasound scan
- Achondroplastic base of skull abnormalities
- Foramen of Magendie
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occipital lobe
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