cisterna magna - BrainInfo

cisterna magna (cmcis)

The term cisterna magna refers to the Cerebrospinal fluid filled space between the cerebellum and the dorsal surface of the medulla, i.e., the cerebellomedullary fissure, extended caudally to the dura that covers the brain. Defined on the basis of dissection, it is a common radiological landmark. Histologically it is bounded by pia on the cerebellar and medullary surfaces and arachnoid on the inner surface of the dura. Cerebrospinal fluid flows into the cistern from the fourth ventricle through the median aperture and the lateral apertures ( Gray-1918a ).

Also known as: cerebellomedullary cistern, Cisterna magna, Cisterna cerebellomedullaris, great cistern, Cisterna cerebello-medullaris, cisterna magna

NeuroNames ID: 542

All Names & Sources

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English

cerebellomedullary cistern

Carpenter-1983

English

cisterna magna

Gray-1918a

English

great cistern

Mai-1997

Illustrations

Showing 3 illustration(s)

drawing of
sagittal section in
human

labeled line drawings of
sagittal section in
Macaca fascicularis

multiple views of
3D reconstruction in
Macaca mulatta

Species With The Structure

Equivalent By	Human	Macaque	Rat	Mouse
Topology	Has The Structure	Relevant Data Not Located	Relevant Data Not Located	Relevant Data Not Located

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Basis

Has Equivalent

Organism

Their Name

Source

Topology

Yes

Homo sapiens (human)

cerebellomedullary cistern

Carpenter-1983

Topology

Yes

Homo sapiens (human)

Cisterna cerebellomedullaris

Riley-1943

Topology

Yes

Homo sapiens (human)

Cisterna cerebello-medullaris

Mai-1997

Topology

Yes

Homo sapiens (human)

Cisterna magna

Carpenter-1983

Topology

Yes

Homo sapiens (human)

cisterna magna

Gray-1918a

Topology

Yes

Homo sapiens (human)

great cistern

Mai-1997

Models Where It Appears

Structural CNS Model - Macaque

Brain structures of the macaque are illustrated in BrainInfo’s NeuroMaps macaque brain atlas. Structures are grouped by proximity in a hierarchy corresponding to the central nervous system hierarchy of NeuroNames ( Bowden-1995 Martin-2000 ). Structures in the NeuroMaps atlas are based on the segmentation of an MRI of the brain of a 3-year old male rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). The atlas is most useful for targeting structures for implantating electrodes and chemtrodes. Updated 29 Oct 2025.

metabrain (metencephalon)

medulla

cisterna magna (cerebellomedullary cistern)

choroidal fissure