RESUMO
The purpose of this study was to identify the branching patterns and the distribution of the cortical branches of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in 100 cerebral hemispheres of Korean adults. The intracranial arteries were perfused with red latex compounds. The territory of the MCA was divided into 12 areas: orbitofrontal, prefrontal, precentral, central, anterior parietal, posterior parietal, angular, temporo -occipital, posterior temporal, middle temporal, anterior temporal and temporopolar. Branching pattern of the main trunk of the MCA was divided into five types: Type I: a single -trunk type of MCA in 34% of cases; Type II: bifurcation (57%); Type III: trifurcation (5%); Type IV: quadrifurcation (1%); Type V: two MCAs originated from the internal carotid artery (3%). The MCA of the bifurcation type was classified into equal bifurcation (20%), superior trunk dominant (11%) and inferior trunk dominant (26%) according to the cortical area. The superior trunk of the equal bifurcation supplied from the orbitofrontal to posterior parietal area. The outer diameter of the main trunk of the MCA was 3.15 +/-0.52 mm on average. The anatomical types of the MCA were discussed with the related symptoms in disease of the MCA.