Cerebellopontine angle
Dissection showing the projection fibers of the cerebellum
Angle shown between cerebellum (bright green) and pons (beige) as it meets from the cerebrum
Details
Identifiers
Latin	Angulus pontocerebellaris
MeSH	D002530
NeuroNames	544
TA98	A14.1.05.004
TA2	5922
FMA	84358
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy [edit on Wikidata]

The cerebellopontine angle (CPA) (Latin: angulus cerebellopontinus) is located between the cerebellum and the pons.^[1] The cerebellopontine angle is the site of the cerebellopontine angle cistern.^[2]

The cerebellopontine angle is also the site of a set of neurological disorders known as the cerebellopontine angle syndrome.

Structure

The cerebellopontine angle is formed by the cerebellopontine fissure. This fissure is made when the cerebellum folds over to the pons, creating a sharply defined angle between them.^[1] The angle formed in turn creates a subarachnoid cistern, the cerebellopontine angle cistern. The pia mater follows the outline of the fissure and the arachnoid mater continues across the divide so that the subarachnoid space is dilated at this area, forming the cerebellopontine angle cistern.^{[citation needed]}

The anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) is the principal vessel of the cerebellopontine angle. It also contains two cranial nerves – the vestibulocochlear nerve and the facial nerve; the cerebellar flocculus and the lateral recess of the fourth ventricle.^{[citation needed]}

Clinical significance

Tumours can arise in the cerebellopontine angle. Four out of five of these tumours are vestibular schwannomas (commonly known as acoustic neuromas).^[3]

Others found include:

• Arachnoid cyst
• Facial nerve tumour
• Lipoma
• Meningioma
• Schwannoma of other cranial nerves (e.g. CN V >VII>IX, X, XI)
• Metastasis
• Intracranial epidermoid cyst