[2]: 478  Each lateral aperture opens into the pontine cistern just posterior to the cranial nerve VIII.

[3][2]: 483 The pontine cistern is situated ventral to the pons,[1][3] in the interval between ventral aspect of the pons, and the clivus.

[2]: 478 The cistern contains the origin of the abducens nerve (CN VI),[1][3] the basilar artery[3] and the origin of the basilar artery and of its branches,[1] and the anterior inferior cerebellar artery, and superior cerebellar artery.

[1][3] It is continuous inferiorly with the subarachnoid space of the spinal canal, posterolaterally with the cerebellopontine cistern of either side, and rostrally/anteriorly with the interpeduncular cistern.

This neuroanatomy article is a stub.