Neuroradiology Teaching
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Low attenuation is present in the left occipital
lobe, consistent with infarction in the distribution of the left
posterior cerebral artery.
The posterior cerebral arteries arise from the termination of the basilar artery. Major branches course around the midbrain and above the tentorium to supply the occipital lobe as well as the posteroinferior temporal lobe. Perforating arteries from the PCA supply the midbrain, hypothalamus and inferior thalami. Posterior choroidal arteries and the posterior pericallosal artery are also branches of the PCA.
Infarctions of the PCA affect vision most commonly (occipital lobes) but also may affect memory (temporal lobes), smell (hippocampus), emotion (splenium) and other midbrain and thalamic function.