Illustration showing the areas of the brain supplied by the internal carotid arteries, which branches into the ophthalmic artery, posterior communicating artery, and anterior choroidal artery. The internal carotid continues as the middle cerebral artery and bifurcates into the anterior cerebral artery. Together, these arteries supply most of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Also shows the potential origin of a thrombotic embolus and where it can end up in the brain causing an ischemic stroke.