ALL THE THINGS Flashcards
What 2 skulls do humans have?
neural skull
facial skull
What does the neural skull do for the brain?
it provides protection
What does the facial skull do?
provides support for the teeth, attachment of muscles, etc.
Which skull predominates in the fetus and neonate?
the neural skull predominates
Are the bones of the fetal neurocranium fused?
NO
What are the intervening spaces of the fetal neurocranium filled with?
fibrous membranes
What are Fontanelles?
Larger intervening spaces
What are the main fontanelles?
anterior
sphenoidal
mastoid
What is the anterior fontanelle?
separates the single frontal and two parietal bones
What is the sphenoidal fontanelles?
occupies the area between the sphenoid, parietal, temporal, and frontal bones
What is the mastoid fontanelle?
area between the temporal, occipital, and parietal
What is something normal that the fontanelles do that may seem abnormal?
pulsate
What is indicative of fontanelle pathology?
deformations such as a bulge or depression
What are the fontanelle’s replaced by?
sutures
What are the sutures of the skull?
Sagittal suture (separates left and right parietal bones)
Coronal suture
Lambdoid suture (separates the occipital bone from the parietal and temporal lobes)
What is premature closure of the fontanelles or sutures called and what does it lead to?
craniosynostosis
leads to cranio-facial abnormalities like Crouzon syndrome
How many bones make up the neural skull?
8 bones!
2 parietal 2 temporal 1 frontal 1 occipital 1 sphenoid 1 ethmoid
How many bones make up the facial skull?
14 bones!
2 maxillae (upper jaw) 2 palatine bones (associated with palate) 2 nasal bones 2 inferior conchae 2 zygomatic bones 2 lacrimal bones (tears) 1 vomer 1 mandible (lower jaw)
What are the important foramina of the skull?
superior orbital foramen
superior orbital fissure
infraorbital foramen
mental foramen (chin)
What prominent features are seen from the posterior view of the skull?
sutures
What are Womian Bones?
seen on X-rays as fractures
Associated with Down Syndrome and Brittle Bone syndrome
What is the interior of the skull divided into?
3 fossae that contain regions of the brain as well as the foramina and fissueres that serve as exits from the cranial vault for nerves and vessels
What are the fossae of the skull?
anterior
middle
posterior
What is significant about the anterior fossa?
contains the anterior and inferior parts of the frontal lobes
What forms the anterior fossa?
orbital plate
What is significant about the middle fossa?
butter fly shaped
supports the temporal lobes of the brain and serves to anchor the tentorial fold. Also contains the Sella turcica
Where does the middle fossa extend?
from the crests of the sphenoid bone anteriorly, the greater wings of the sphenoid, and the squamous parts of the temporal bones laterally, and the petrous portion of the temporal bones posteriorly.
What is the sella turcica?
“Turkish saddle”
houses the pituitary gland and many passages for nerves and vessels.
Where does the posterior fossa end?
it ends at the Foramen magnum
What is significant about the posterior fossa?
largest and deepest of the 3 fossa
houses the cerebellum, pons and medulla
How far does the sphenoid bone stretch?
all the way across the cranial fossae (left to right)
What are the points of attachment of the dura mater?
crista galli
clinoid processes
petrous portions of the temportal bone
internal occipital ridge
The crista galli is a projection of what?
the ethmoid bone
Where are the clinoid processes found?
on the sphenoid bone
Where are the petrous bridges found?
temporal bones
Why is the basal view of the skull the most complex?
has many foramina
What injury is common with people sustaining blunt head trauma?
skull base fractures that vary in severity depending on which foramina are affected
What is the Pterion?
a landmark that defines the union of 4 bones:
patietal
frontal
sphenoid
squamous part of temporal
Besides the scalp, what else offers protection to the brain?
2 lamina
meninges - Dura mater, arachnoid space, pia mater
What is the Dura Proper?
it is the inner layer of Dura that is flush with the dura mater of the spinal cord