Middle meningeal artery
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Knipe H, Deng F, Kusel K, et al. Middle meningeal artery. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 14 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-24263
rID:
24263
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Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
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At the time the article was last revised Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
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Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Middle meningeal arteries
- Anterior division of the middle meningeal artery
- Posterior division of the middle meningeal artery
The middle meningeal artery is the dominant supply of the cranial dura. It arises from the first part of the maxillary artery, a terminal branch of the external carotid artery. It enters the middle cranial fossa via the foramen spinosum. Here it gives off two basal branches—the petrosal branch and the cavernous branch—before dividing into anterior and posterior divisions 1:
- anterior division: runs anterolaterally through the middle cranial fossa on the greater wing of sphenoid before coursing superiorly, often grooving the bone, and passes under the pterion before giving its terminal branches over the upper parietal bone
- posterior division: runs horizontally posteriorly over the squamous part of the temporal bone to give rise to its terminal branches over the lower parietal bone
On this page:
Gross anatomy
Relations
In its extracranial portion, the middle meningeal artery runs vertically through the roots of the auriculotemporal nerve.
Variant anatomy
The ophthalmic artery infrequently arises from the middle meningeal artery 4.
Conversely, the middle meningeal artery infrequently arises from branches of the internal carotid artery. The most common of these origins is the ophthalmic artery, when it may be termed the "ophthalmic-middle meningeal artery" 5,6, or an ophthalmic branch like the lacrimal artery 9. Rarely, the middle meningeal artery arises from a persistent stapedial artery from the petrous segment of the internal carotid artery, when it may be termed the "stapedial-middle meningeal artery" 5.
Rarely, the middle meningeal artery has anastomoses with or origin from the basilar artery 7,8.
Related pathology
- epidural hematoma, which is most commonly due to traumatic rupture of the middle meningeal artery
- chronic recurrent subdural hematoma, which may be treated with middle meningeal artery embolization 3
- intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula, for which the middle meningeal artery is the most common arterial feeder 3
- meningioma, which may be embolized preoperatively via the middle meningeal artery 3
References
- 1. Bonasia S, Smajda S, Ciccio G, Robert T. Middle Meningeal Artery: Anatomy and Variations. (2020) AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology. 41 (10): 1777-1785. doi:10.3174/ajnr.A6739 - Pubmed
- 2. Last's Anatomy. Churchill Livingstone. ISBN:0702033944. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Yu J, Guo Y, Xu B, Xu K. Clinical importance of the middle meningeal artery: A review of the literature. (2016) International journal of medical sciences. 13 (10): 790-799. doi:10.7150/ijms.16489 - Pubmed
- 4. Liu Q, Rhoton AL. Middle meningeal origin of the ophthalmic artery. (2001) Neurosurgery. 49 (2): 401-6; discussion 406-7. doi:10.1097/00006123-200108000-00025 - Pubmed
- 5. McLennan JE, Rosenbaum AE, Haughton VM. Internal carotid origins of the middle meningeal artery. The ophthalmic-middle meningeal and stapedial-middle meningeal arteries. (1974) Neuroradiology. 7 (5): 265-75. doi:10.1007/BF00344246 - Pubmed
- 6. Gabriele OF, Bell D. Ophthalmic origin of the middle meningeal artery. (1967) Radiology. 89 (5): 841-4. doi:10.1148/89.5.841 - Pubmed
- 7. Seeger JF, Hemmer JF. Persistent basilar/middle meningeal artery anastomosis. (1976) Radiology. 118 (2): 367-70. doi:10.1148/118.2.367 - Pubmed
- 8. Shah QA, Hurst RW. Anomalous origin of the middle meningeal artery from the basilar artery: a case report. (2007) Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging. 17 (3): 261-3. doi:10.1111/j.1552-6569.2007.00108.x - Pubmed
- 9. Royle G, Motson R. An anomalous origin of the middle meningeal artery. (1973) Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. 36 (5): 874-6. doi:10.1136/jnnp.36.5.874 - Pubmed
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Lesser petrosal nerve
- Subdural hemorrhage
- Dura mater
- Cranial meninges
- Ocular globe
- Greater wing of sphenoid
- Extradural haemorrhage
- Parietal bone
- Otic ganglion
- Auriculotemporal nerve
- Eustachian tube
- Accessory meningeal artery
- Temporal fossa
- Middle meningeal nerve
- Lacrimal artery
- Ophthalmic artery
- Maxillary artery
- Meningo-ophthalmic artery
- Foramen spinosum
- Dural arteriovenous fistula
Cases:
- Middle meningeal artery embolisation for recurrent subdural haematomas
- Extradural haematoma (through MMA)
- Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma
- Epidural hematoma due to middle meningeal artery injury
- Middle meningeal artery originating from ophthalmic artery
- Embryonal tumour with multilayered rosettes (ETMR)
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