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

1 of 14

Showing 14 synonym(s) - Use arrows to navigate

Showing 14 synonym(s)

Name:

cmcis

Language:

acronym

Organism:

macaque

Source:

Martin-2000

Citation:

Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2000

Source Title:

Primate Brain Maps: Structure Of The Macaque Brain

Name:

cisterna magna

Language:

Italian

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1995

Citation:

EdiSes, s.r.l.- Napoli, 1995

Source Title:

Fondamenti di Neuroanatomia

Name:

cisterna cerebellomidollare

Language:

Italian

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1995

Citation:

EdiSes, s.r.l.- Napoli, 1995

Source Title:

Fondamenti di Neuroanatomia

Name:

cisterna magna

Language:

Spanish

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1994

Citation:

edicion 4, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore; traducción de Editorial Medica Panamericana, Buenos Aires, efectuada por el Dr. Alejandro Kaufman

Source Title:

Neuroanatomía Fundamentos

Name:

cisterna cerebelobulbar

Language:

Spanish

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1994

Citation:

edicion 4, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore; traducción de Editorial Medica Panamericana, Buenos Aires, efectuada por el Dr. Alejandro Kaufman

Source Title:

Neuroanatomía Fundamentos

Name:

sistern serebelomedular

Language:

Indonesian

Organism:

human

Source:

Noback-1982

Citation:

Jakarta: Penerbit Buku Kedokteran EGC, 1982

Source Title:

Anatomi Susunan Saraf Manusia, Prinsip-Prinsip Dasar Neurobiologi

Name:

cerebellomedullary cistern

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1983

Citation:

Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins Co., 1983

Source Title:

Human Neuroanatomy

Name:

Cisterna magna

Language:

Latin

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1983

Citation:

Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins Co., 1983

Source Title:

Human Neuroanatomy

Name:

Cisterna cerebellomedullaris

Language:

Latin

Organism:

human

Source:

Riley-1943

Citation:

Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins Co., 1943

Source Title:

An Atlas Of The Basal Ganglia, Brain Stem And Spinal Cord (Based On Myelin-Stained Material)

Name:

great cistern

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Mai-1997

Citation:

San Diego: Academic Press, 1997

Source Title:

Atlas of the Human Brain

Name:

Cisterna cerebello-medullaris

Language:

Latin

Organism:

human

Source:

Mai-1997

Citation:

San Diego: Academic Press, 1997

Source Title:

Atlas of the Human Brain

Name:

мозжечково-мозговая цистерна

Language:

Russian

Organism:

human

Source:

Baev-2000

Citation:

Moskva: Meditsina, 2000.

Source Title:

Magnitno-Resonansnaia Tomografiia Golovnogo Mozga: Normal'naia Anatomiia

Name:

sistern magna

Language:

Indonesian

Organism:

human

Source:

Noback-1982

Citation:

Jakarta: Penerbit Buku Kedokteran EGC, 1982

Source Title:

Anatomi Susunan Saraf Manusia, Prinsip-Prinsip Dasar Neurobiologi

Name:

cisterna magna

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Gray-1918a

Citation:

Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger; or see http://www.bartleby.com/107/

Source Title:

Anatomy of the Human Body

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

1 of 6

Showing 6 record(s) - Use arrows to navigate

Showing 6 record(s)

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

cerebellomedullary cistern

Source:

Carpenter-1983

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

Cisterna cerebellomedullaris

Source:

Riley-1943

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

Cisterna cerebello-medullaris

Source:

Mai-1997

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

Cisterna magna

Source:

Carpenter-1983

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

cisterna magna

Source:

Gray-1918a

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

great cistern

Source:

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