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Preculminate fissure

The preculminate fissure is a distinct anatomical groove found on the superior surface of the cerebellum. It separates the culmen (part of the anterior lobe) from the central lobule anteriorly. This fissure plays an important role in delineating the cerebellar lobules, which are vital for the precise organization and functional mapping of the cerebellum. Identifying the preculminate fissure is crucial in neuroanatomy, neurosurgery, and neuroimaging, especially when assessing cerebellar morphology and pathology.

Synonyms

  • Fissura preculminata (Latin term)

  • Preculminate sulcus

  • Preculminate groove

Arterial Supply

  • Supplied mainly by branches of the Superior Cerebellar Artery (SCA)

  • Small contributions may come from the Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery (AICA)

  • The vascular supply ensures nourishment to the tissue bordering the fissure, especially the anterior lobe structures

Venous Drainage

  • Drained primarily via the Superior Cerebellar Veins

  • Additional venous return may occur through the Precentral Cerebellar Vein and small cortical veins into the Vein of Galen

Function

  • The preculminate fissure itself is an anatomical landmark and does not have a direct functional role

  • It helps delineate cerebellar lobules involved in coordination of voluntary motor control, especially the anterior lobe which participates in postural adjustments and muscle tone regulation

MRI Appearance

  • Appears as a well-defined, thin hypointense (dark) line on T1 and T2 weighted images, separating the slightly different signal intensities of adjacent cerebellar lobules

  • More clearly visible on high-resolution sagittal and coronal images

  • Best identified when there is normal cerebellar morphology without atrophy or distortion

CT Appearance

  • Appears as a subtle hypodense (dark) linear groove on non-contrast CT

  • Often less distinct than on MRI due to lower soft-tissue contrast

  • Best seen when using thin slices and high-resolution bone algorithms

MRI images

Preculminate fissure MRI 3T axial image

MRI images

Preculminate fissure MRI 3T sagittal image

CT image

Preculminate fissure of cerebellum CT sag anatomy image -img-00001-00001