The Medial Temporal Region. a, The medial view of the anterior segment of the medial temporal region (MTR). (This illustration correlates with b and c. The anterior choroidal artery (AChA) gives off an anterior uncal artery that irrigates the semilunar gyrus and an uncohippocampal artery that irrigates the uncinate gyrus and band of Giacomini and penetrates the uncal sulcus to vascularize the extraventricular hippocampal head. The internal carotid artery (ICA) gives off an anterior uncal artery that supplies the semilunar gyrus. This branch usually is present when the anterior uncal artery of the AChA is absent. An anterior uncal artery also arises from the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and supplies the ambient gyrus. An uncoparahippocampal artery arises from the temporopolar artery and irrigates both the ambient gyrus and the anterior parahippocampal area. Branches from the P2a segment of the PCA irrigate the anterior parahippocampal region (anterior parahippocampal artery) or both the anterior parahippocampal gyrus and hippocampal head (anterior hippocampal-parahippocampal artery). b, The medial surface of the anterior segment of the left MTR. The white arrow points the posterior end of the uncal notch. The anterior part of this segment is irrigated by middle cerebral branches (orange shaded area), the posterosuperior part is supplied by anterior choroidal branches (blue shaded area), and the posteroinferior part is vascularized by posterior cerebral branches (yellow shaded area). The ICA typically supplies the area supplied by the AChA and the MCA if their branches are absent. The branches of the MCA are the anterior uncal artery superiorly and the uncoparahippocampal artery inferiorly. The branches of the AChA are the anterior uncal artery anteriorly, the posterior uncal artery posteriorly, and the uncohippocampal artery posteroinferiorly. The branches of the PCA are the anterior hippocampal-parahippocampal artery medially and the anterior parahippocampal artery laterally. Areas of vascular anastomosis are typically found at the confluence of vascular territories (curved arrows). c, The same view of a in a silicon injected anatomic specimen. d, Inferior view of the anterior segment of the left MTR. The inferior lip of the posterior uncal segment has been removed to expose the extraventricular hippocampal head. The semilunar gyrus has been retracted to expose the branches of the AChA. Two anterior uncal arteries arise from the first one-third of the AChA and irrigate the semilunar gyrus. A posterior uncal artery from the AChA penetrates the uncal sulcus and irrigates the extraventricular hippocampal head. An anterior hippocampal-parahippocampal artery arising from the anteroinferior temporal branch of the PCA gives rise to an anterior hippocampal branch that supplies the extraventricular hippocampal head and anastomoses with the uncohippocampal branch of the AChA (green arrow). e, Lower surface of the anterior segment of the right MTR. The entorhinal area is irrigated medially by the parahippocampal branch of the anterior hippocampal-parahippocampal artery that arises from the P2a, and laterally by a large anterior parahippocampal artery that originates from the anterior inferior temporal artery. (Images courtesy of AL Rhoton, Jr.)