Neuroanatomy

Question 1

Which cranial fossa is the cavernous sinus located in?

Answer 1

the middle cranial fossa

Question 2

What separates the two cavernous sinus’s?

Answer 2

Sella Turcica of the sphenoid bone

Question 3

What layers enclose the cavernous sinus’s

Answer 3

endosteal and meningeal layers of the dura mater

Question 4

What forms the anterior border of the cavernous sinus?

Answer 4

Superior orbital fissure

Question 5

What forms the posterior border of the cavernous sinu?

Answer 5

Petrous part of temporal bone

Question 6

What forms the medial border of the cavernous sinus?

Answer 6

Sphenoid bone

Question 7

List all that drain into the cavernous sinus:

Answer 7

Superior and inferior ophthalmic veins
Central vein of the retina
Sphenoparietal veins
Superficial Middle Cerebral Vein
Pterygoid Plexus

Question 8

What vessel does the superior ophthalmic vein form an anastomosis with and what is the clinical significance of this?

Answer 8

The facial nerve

Ophthalmic veins represent a potential route by which infection can spread from an extracranial to an intracranial site.

Question 9

Where does the cavernous sinus empty into directly and finally?

Answer 9

The inferior and superior petrosal sinus directly
Finally will end in the internal jugular vein

Question 10

What are the direct contents of the cavernous sinus

Answer 10

Carotid Plexus
Abducens Nerve
Internal carotid artery (cavernous part)q

Question 11

List the contents of the cavernous sinus that pass through the lateral wall

Answer 11

O’ TOM

Oculomotor Nerve
Trochlear Nerve
Ophthalmic nerve (V1)
Maxillary nerve (V2)

Question 12

What is the significance of the internal carotid artery travelling through the cavernous sinus>

Answer 12

The only site in the body where an artery passes completely through a venous structure.
This allows for heat exchange

Question 13

How are the left and right cavernous sinus’s connected?

Answer 13

By the anterior and posterior intercavernous sinus

Question 14

What is the most common cause of a cavernous sinus thrombosis?

Answer 14

Infection

Question 15

What forms the lateral border of the cavernous sinus?

Answer 15

Meningeal Layer of the dura mater running from the roof to the floor of the middle cranial fossa

Question 16

What forms the roof of the cavernous sinus

Answer 16

Meningeal layer of the dura mater that attaches to the anterior and middle clinoid processes of the sphenoid bone.

Question 17

What forms the floor of the cavernous sinus?

Answer 17

endosteal layer of dura mater that overlies the base of the greater wing of the sphenoid bone.

Question 18

Give the two paired arteries responsible for blood supply to the brain

Answer 18

Internal carotid
Vertebral arteries

Question 19

What is teh bane fiven to the terminal anastamosis of the end arteries in the brain>

Answer 19

The circle of willis

Question 20

At what level does the common carotid artery bifurcate to form the internal and external carotid?

Answer 20

C4

Question 21

In which skull bone is the carotid canal located

Answer 21

Temporal

Question 22

What do the internal carotids move in until the enter through the carotid canal of the temporal bone?

Answer 22

The carotid sheath

Question 23

True or False
The internal carotid does not supply any vessel branches to the neck or face:

Answer 23

True

Question 24

List the branches on the internal carotid:

Answer 24

Ophthalmic artery
Posterior communicating artery
Anterior Choroidal Artery
Anterior cerebral artery
Middle cerebral artery

Question 25

Where does the vertebral artery branch off?

Answer 25

The subclavian arteries

Question 26

Where do the vertebral arteries branch off the subclavian artery?

Answer 26

Medial to the anterior scalene muscle

Question 27

DEscribe the route the vertebral arteries take to reach the head:

Answer 27

Branch off subclavian, medial to the anterior scalene muscle.
Ascend posterior neck, pass through the transverse process of the cervical vertebrae (formina transversarium) and then enter the cranial cavity via the foramen magnum