The basal ganglia receive their blood supply from the medial and lateral lenticulostriate arteries. While the former is a branch from the ACA that supplies the anteromedial head of caudate and anterior limb of the internal capsule, the latter is a branch from the MCA and supplies the putamen, head of caudate and posterior limb of the internal capsule. The thalamus, instead, receives its blood supply from the thalamoperforators arising from the posterior cerebral arteries. This patient is known to have SLE.