Skull and Cranial Cavity Flashcards
Name the bones forming the anterior aspect of the skull
Frontal bone Maxilla Zygomatic bone Nasal bone Mandible
Name the bones forming the lateral aspect of the skull
Frontal bone Parietal bone Temporal bone Occipital bone Zygomatic bone Sphenoid bone Maxilla Nasal bone Mandible
Describe the location of the pterion
2.5 cm above the zygomatic arch and 2.5 cm posterior to the occipital bone
Name the two foramina in the zygomatic bone
Superiorly: the zygomaticotemporal foramen
Inferiorly: the zygomaticofacial foramen
Name the bones that make up the pterion
Frontal bone
Parietal bone
Temporal bone
Sphenoid bone
Which bones make up the coronal suture?
The frontal and parietal bones
Which bones make up the squamous suture?
The parietal and temporal bones
Name the bones that make up the asterion
Parietal bone
Temporal bone
Occipital bone
Suture
Fibrous joint that occurs in the skull
Which bones make up the lambdoid suture?
Occipital and parietal bones
On which bone is the mastoid process located?
The temporal bone
Which bones make up the occipitomastoid suture?
Temporal and occipital bones
Name the fontanelles of a baby’s skull
Anterior (not fully ossified), posterior and lateral fontanelles
Bregma
Where the parietal and frontal bones meet in the adult skull
Lambda
Where the parietal and occipital bones meet in the adult skull
Name the bones forming the base of the skull
Maxilla Hard palate Zygomatic arch Sphenoid bone Vomer Temporal bone Occipital bone
Name the paired bony prominence in the lateral temporal bone
The mastoid process
Name the paired bony prominence in the occipital bone
The occipital condyle
Which muscle attaches to the medial aspect of the mastoid process?
Sternocleidomastoid
What articulates with the occipital condyles?
The superior facets of the atlas
Name the paired bony prominence in the medial temporal bone
The styloid process
Which bone articulates at the temperomandibular joint?
The mandible
What type of joint is the TMJ?
Synovial
Name the seven major foramina in the base of the skull
Incisive foramen Greater palatine foramen Foramen ovale Foramen spinosum Carotid canal Stylomastoid foramen Foramen magnum
Describe the location of the foramen lacerum and explain why it is only seen in dry skulls
Bilateral foramina anterior to the magnum foramen and medial to the foramina ovale. In living bodies, the apparent opening is filled with dense cartilage and fibrous tissue.
Name the structures passing through the incisive foramen
Nasopalatine nerves
Sphenopalatine vessels
Name the structures passing through the greater palatine foramen
Greater palatine nerve and vessels
Name the structures passing through the foramen spinosum
Middle meningeal artery and vein
Meningeal branch of mandibular nerve
Name the structures passing through the foramen ovale
Mandibular nerve
Lesser petrosal nerve
Name the structures passing through the carotid canal
Internal carotid artery
Nerve plexus
Name the structures passing through the stylomastoid foramen
Facial nerve
Name the structures passing through the foramen magnum
Continuation of brain and spinal cord Vertebral arteries and nerve plexuses Anterior spinal artery Posterior spinal arteries Roots of accessory nerve Meninges
Name the structures passing through the lesser palatine foramen
Lesser palatine nerves and vessels
Name the structures passing through the jugular foramen
Internal jugular vein Inferior petrosal sinus glossopharyngeal nerve Vagus nerve Accessory nerve
Anterior fossa borders
Anterior and lateral: Meninges and inner portion of frontal bone
Posteromedial: Limbus of the sphenoid bone
Posterolateral: Lesser wing of the sphenoid bone
Inferior: Orbital plate of the frontal bone, cribriform plate and crista galli of the ethmoid bone, anterior aspects of the body and lesser wings of the sphenoid bone.
What are the bones that make up the anterior fossa?
The frontal bone, ethmoid bone and sphenoid bone.
Middle fossa borders
Anterior medial: Anterior edge of chiasmatic sulcus of sphenoid body
Anterior lateral: Grater wing of the sphenoid
Posterior medial: Posterior edge of dorsum sellae of sphenoid body
Posterior lateral: Petrous part of temporal bone
What are the bones that make up the middle fossa?
The sphenoid bone and the two temporal bones.
Posterior fossa borders
Anterior medial: Dorsum sellae and the clivus (formed by body of sphenoid and basilar part of occipital)
Anterior lateral: Superior border of the petrous part of the temporal bone
Lateral: Small parts of the occipital and parietal bones
Posterior: Squamous part of the occipital bone to the level of the transverse groove
What are the bones that make up the posterior fossa?
The occipital bone and the two temporal bones.
Name the 12 intracranial foramina from anterior to posterior
Cribiform plate Optic canal Superior orbital fissure Foramen rotundum Foramen ovale Foramen lacerum Foramen spinosum Carotid canal (internal aperture) Internal acoustic meatus Jugular foramen Hypoglossal canal Foramen magnum
Name the structures passing through the cribiform plate
Olfactory nerve
Name the structures passing through the optic canal
Optic nerve
Ophthalmic artery
Name the structures passing through the superior orbital fissure
Oculomotor nerve Trochlear nerve Abducens nerve Ophthalmic nerve Superior ophthalmic vein
Name the structures passing through the foramen rotundum
Maxillary nerve
Name the structures passing through the foramen lacerum
Filled with connective tissue
Small meningeal branches of the ascending pharyngeal artery
Emissary veins from the cavernous sinus
Name the structures passing through the internal acoustic meatus
Facial nerve
Vestibulocochlear nerve
Labyrinthine artery
Name the structures passing through the hypoglossal canal
Hypoglossal nerve
Meningeal branch of the ascending pharyngeal artery
4 air-filled spaces visible on an X-ray
Frontal sinus
Sphenoid sinus
Ethmoid air cells
Maxillary sinus
Function of air-filled spaces in the skull
Lined with respiratory epithelium and lighten the head and humidify and heat inhaled air
Contribute to resonance of speech
Pterion
A clinically important surface marking that is a sign of weakness
Formed by the articulation of the frontal, sphenoid, parietal and temporal bones
Lies within a 1 cm circle, 2 cm behind and 1 cm above the posterolateral margin of the frontozygomatic suture
Frankfurt line
Runs between the inferior margins of the orbit and the superior external auditory meatus
