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Posterior short insular gyrus

The posterior short insular gyrus is a small but crucial component of the insular cortex, located deep within the lateral sulcus of the brain. It is the most posterior of the three short gyri found on the superior surface of the insula, playing an important role in integrating sensory and autonomic information. This gyrus is bounded anteriorly by the middle short insular gyrus and posteriorly by the long gyri of the insula. Understanding its anatomy and imaging characteristics is vital in neuroimaging and clinical neurology.

Synonyms

  • Posterior short gyrus of the insula

  • Gyrus brevis posterior insulae

  • Short posterior insular gyrus

Arterial Supply

  • Supplied primarily by the superior division of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), specifically its insular branches.

  • Additional minor supply from the lateral lenticulostriate arteries in some individuals.

Venous Drainage

  • Drains mainly into the superior cerebral veins.

  • Ultimately empties into the superior sagittal sinus and vein of Labbé.

Function

  • Involved in viscerosensory processing (e.g., perception of internal organ sensations).

  • Plays a role in autonomic regulation.

  • Contributes to somatosensory integration, especially related to pain and temperature sensation.

  • Implicated in aspects of emotional awareness and interoception.

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Cortex: intermediate signal intensity

  • White matter beneath gyrus: slightly brighter signal

  • CSF in sulci: dark

T2-weighted images:

  • Cortex: intermediate to slightly brighter signal

  • White matter: relatively darker than cortex

  • CSF in sulci: bright

FLAIR (Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery):

  • Cortex: intermediate gray signal

  • White matter: darker signal

  • CSF: dark (suppressed)

  • Pathology (edema, gliosis, tumor): bright hyperintensity

CT Appearance

Non-Contrast CT:

  • Cortex: gray matter density slightly higher than white matter

  • White matter: lower attenuation than cortex

  • CSF: very low attenuation (dark)

  • Pathology: hemorrhage appears hyperdense, infarct hypodense

Post-Contrast CT:

  • Normal cortex: minimal enhancement

MRI image

Posterior short insular gyrus mri axial anatomy image -img-00001-00001

CT image

Posterior short insular gyrus CT sag anatomy image -img-00001-00001