====== Cisterna magna ======
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The largest of the subarachnoid [[cistern]]s. 

The two other principal cisterns are the [[pontine cistern]] located between the pons and the medulla, and the [[interpeduncular cistern]] located between the cerebral peduncles.

The cisterna magna (or cerebellomedullary cistern) is one of three principal openings in the [[subarachnoid space]] between the [[arachnoid]] and [[pia mater]] layers of the [[meninges]] surrounding the brain. The openings are collectively referred to as cisterns. The cisterna magna is located between the cerebellum and the dorsal surface of the [[medulla oblongata]]. [[Cerebrospinal fluid]] produced in the [[fourth ventricle]] drains into the [[cisterna magna]] via the [[lateral aperture]]s and [[median aperture]].

It receives [[CSF]] from the [[fourth ventricle]] via the median [[foramen of Magendie]] and the paired lateral [[foramen of Luschka]]. 

===== Content =====

The [[vertebral artery]] and the origin of the [[posterior inferior cerebellar artery]] ([[PICA]]).

The ninth (IX), tenth (X), eleventh (XI) and twelfth (XII) [[cranial nerve]]s.

The [[choroid plexus]].

Cerebral spinal fluid can also be obtained by puncture of the cisterna magna (cistern puncture).

Combined unilateral trans [[cerebellomedullary fissure]] (CMF), /lateral foramen magnum approaches provide a wide and close surgical field in the [[cerebellomedullary cistern]] (CMC), allowing easy and safe CMC surgery
((Matsushima T, Kawashima M, Inoue K, Matsushima K, Miki K. Exposure of Wide
Cerebellomedullary Cisterns for Vascular Lesion Surgeries in Cerebellomedullary
Cisterns: Opening of Unilateral Cerebellomedullary Fissures Combined with Lateral
Foramen Magnum Approach. World Neurosurg. 2014 Apr 30. pii:
S1878-8750(14)00447-1. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2014.04.064. [Epub ahead of print]
Review. PubMed PMID: 24793562.)).

Giant cisterna magna

{{http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hHLV5ZhiwZE/TzAuBhuDFdI/AAAAAAABIDk/ehzw2qFLCpM/s320/Giant+Cisterna+magna+CT.jpg}}
----
Panventriculomegaly with a wide [[foramen of Magendie]] and a large [[cisterna magna]] may belong to a subtype of [[congenital hydrocephalus]] with familial accumulation, younger age at onset, and symptoms of normal pressure hydrocephalus. In addition, a family with PaVM has a gene mutation associated with dysfunction of motile cilia
((Kageyama H, Miyajima M, Ogino I, Nakajima M, Shimoji K, Fukai R, Miyake N,
Nishiyama K, Matsumoto N, Arai H. Panventriculomegaly with a wide foramen of
Magendie and large cisterna magna. J Neurosurg. 2016 Jun;124(6):1858-66. doi:
10.3171/2015.6.JNS15162. Epub 2015 Dec 4. PubMed PMID: 26636390.
)).

===== Cisterna magna meningioma =====


see [[Cisterna magna meningioma]].