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Anterolateral central (lenticulostriate) arteries anatomy

The anterolateral central arteries, more commonly known as the lenticulostriate arteries, are small perforating branches of the middle cerebral artery (MCA). They arise from the proximal M1 segment of the MCA and penetrate the anterior perforated substance to supply deep subcortical structures.

These arteries are typically 6–12 in number, small in caliber, and highly variable. Despite their size, they are critically important because they supply essential areas such as the basal ganglia and internal capsule.

Territories Supplied

  • Head and body of caudate nucleus

  • Putamen

  • Globus pallidus (partially)

  • Internal capsule (anterior limb, genu, and posterior limb portions)

  • Parts of the thalamus (anterolateral)

Clinical Significance
Because they are end arteries with little collateral supply, occlusion leads to lacunar infarcts. These infarcts often manifest as pure motor or pure sensory strokes. Lenticulostriate arteries are also fragile and prone to rupture, making them a common site of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage in the basal ganglia.

Synonyms

  • Lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs)

  • Lateral striate arteries

  • Anterolateral central branches of MCA

Function

  • Supply deep gray matter structures of the basal ganglia

  • Provide critical blood flow to the internal capsule, enabling motor and sensory conduction pathways

  • Clinically relevant in stroke, hypertensive hemorrhage, and neurosurgery

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Vessels appear as flow voids (dark linear structures) penetrating the anterior perforated substance

  • Parenchyma in basal ganglia intermediate signal

T2-weighted images:

  • Vessels show as dark flow voids

  • Infarcts in lenticulostriate territory appear as hyperintense lesions within basal ganglia or internal capsule

FLAIR:

  • Vessels themselves not directly visible

  • Acute lacunar infarcts in lenticulostriate territory appear as bright hyperintense foci in basal ganglia/internal capsule

  • Chronic infarcts show gliotic hyperintensity

T1 Post-Gadolinium:

  • Normal lenticulostriate arteries enhance brightly but delicately, though small size may limit resolution

  • Pathological enhancement may indicate vascular malformation or vasculitis

MRA (Magnetic Resonance Angiography):

  • Flow-related enhancement shows LSAs as fine bright linear signals radiating from MCA M1 segment

  • Best seen on high-resolution TOF-MRA or contrast-enhanced MRA

  • Detects stenosis, occlusion, moyamoya disease, and perforator aneurysms

CTA (CT Angiography):

  • With contrast, lenticulostriate arteries appear as tiny high-attenuation vessels branching from M1 MCA

  • CTA provides superior spatial resolution compared to MRA, especially with thin-slice 3D reconstructions

  • Gold standard for assessing vascular malformations, aneurysms, and ischemic strokes affecting perforator territories

MRI image

Anterolateral central (lenticulostriate) arteries MRI 3T axial image

MRI image

Anterolateral central (lenticulostriate) arteries MRI 3T coronal image