1. Posterior fossa cisterns 1. Cisterna magna a.k.a. cerebellomedullary cistern; posterior to medulla and clivus; location of PICA 2.

. Prepontine cistern CN 5 and 6, basilar artery, AICA 3. medullary cistern anterior to medulla; vertebral arteries; anterior and posterior spinal arteries, PICA, CN 12 4. Cerebellopontine cistern CN 5, 7 and 8, AICA 5. superior cerebellar cistern between tentorium and vermis, connects with quadrigeminal cistern anterosuperiorly; superior cerebellar artery, superior vermian veins 2. suprasellar (basal) cisterns 1. Interpeduncular cistern CN 3, basilar artery, SCA, PCA, Pcomm, basal vein of Rosenthal 1. Lilliquists membrane is an arachnoidal sheet that extends from the dorsum sellae to the anterior edge of the mamillary bodies; separates the interpeduncular and chiasmatic cisterns; forms a competent barrier in 10-30% of the population 2. Chiasmatic cistern located below the optic chiasm; ICA, ACA, MCA, Pcomm, anterior choroidal artery 3. Mesencephalic cisterns 1. Ambient cistern sheet like subarachnoid extensions around the midbrain, continuous with quadrigeminal cistern; CN 4 and 6, PCA, SCA 2. Quadrigeminal cistern a.k.a. cistern of great cerebral vein; connects ambient and superior cerebellar cisterns; pineal, vein of Galen, PCA 3. velum interpositum above third ventricle; below corpus callosum and fornix, anterior continuation of quadrigeminal cistern; internal cerebral veins, branches of anterior and posterior choroidal arteries 4. Cistern of the lamina terminalis: ACA and frontopolar artery 5. Callosal cistern above corpus callosum, between and below cingulated gyri 6. Crural cistern located between cerebral peduncle and uncus; PCA and anterior choroidal artery 7. Suprasellar cistern 8. Carotid cistern