Microanatomy of the anterior cerebral artery.

The microanatomic features of the anterior cerebral artery were studied in 30 unfixed human brains which were injected with tinted polyester resin via cannulation of the internal carotid arteries under microscopic dissection. The outer diameter, length, and number of perforating branches were measured for each of the following vessels: anterior cerebral artery (proximal A1 segment, distal A2 segment), anterior communicating artery, and recurrent artery of Heubner. The perforating branches of the proximal segment of the anterior cerebral artery penetrated the brain at the anterior perforated substance, lateral chiasm, and optic tracts. The perforating branches of the anterior communicating artery penetrated the brain at the lamina terminalis, anterior perforated substance, and medial chiasm. The first 5 mm of the distal anterior cerebral artery (A2) had perforating branches penetrating the brain at the gyrus rectus and olfactory sulcus. The recurrent artery of Heubner originated from the A2 segment of the anterior cerebral artery in 57% of the cases, from the anterior cerebral artery-anterior communicating artery junction in 35%, and from the A1 segment in 8%. The depth of the interhemispheric fissure at the genu was 36.0 +/- 0.5 mm and at the midbody of the corpus callosum, 35.0 +/- 0.5 mm. Extension of the dissection to approach the anterior communicating artery from the genu of the corpus callosum using the anterior interhemispheric route was an additional 31.7 +/- 0.7 mm. The callosal arterial supply from the anterior cerebral artery showed short callosal branches in all brain specimens and long callosal vessels in 10% of the specimens.