Mammillary body

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Synonyms
Mamillarkörper, Mammillarkörper

The mammillary body is a paired elevation on the inferior surface of the of the brain between the cerebral crura.

Anatomy

It is located at the anterior end of the Fornix and is part of the limbic system and thus of the diencephalon.

Figure

Third ventricle, sagittal view
Sagittal section through the third ventricle. Figure adapted from Albert Rhoton 2002 in Neurosurgery.
Endoscopic view of the mammillary bodies
Endoscopic visualization of the mammillary bodies (orange arrows) during endoscopic third ventriculostomy.

Imaging

Mammillary bodies on MRI
Visualization of both mammillary bodies on an axial T2 MRI image.
Mammillary body MRI
Visualization of both mammillary bodies on a sagittal T2 MRI image.
Mammillary body on MRI
Visualization of both mammillary bodies on a coronal T2 MRI image.

Clinical relevance

In neurosurgery, it provides an anatomically important landmark, for example during Endoscopic third ventriculostomy.

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