The internal carotid artery is one of the terminal branches of the common carotid artery. The main areas supplied by branches of the internal carotid artery include the cerebral hemispheres, eyes, forehead, as well as nose, nasal cavity, and paranasal sinuses. This artery does not supply any neck structures.

The internal carotid artery arises at the level between the cervical vertebrae C3 and C4. From its origin, the vessel ascends in the neck in front of the transverse processes of the superior three cervical vertebrae, first lying lateral to the external carotid artery, then passing deeper and medially from it. The internal carotid enters the cranial cavity via the external opening of the carotid canal located on the inferior surface of the petrous part of the temporal bone without giving off any branches. While going through the carotid canal, the artery gives small branches to the tympanic cavity. When the artery leaves the canal, it enters the middle cranial fossa. Here the artery turns anteriorly, passes through the cavernous sinus in the carotid groove, and exits it at the level of the anterior clinoid process of the sphenoid bone. Then the internal carotid artery forms a small curvature upwards and then backward and divides into several branches.

The internal carotid artery can be divided into four segments according to the regions or anatomical structures through which the blood vessel travels. These parts are as follows:

Cervical part - the portion of the artery traveling through the neck;
Petrous part - in the temporal bone;
Cavernous part - in the cavernous sinus;
Intracranial part - after piercing the dura mater and exiting the cavernous sinus.

The main branches of the internal carotid artery are the following:

Anterior cerebral artery
Middle cerebral artery
Ophthalmic artery
Anterior choroidal artery
Posterior communicating artery
Superior hypophyseal artery
Inferior hypophyseal artery
Caroticotympanic artery
Meningeal artery

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Internal carotid artery