Skull Foramina Flashcards
Foremen rotundum
Structures passing between middle cranial fossa and pterygopalatine fossa.
Structures:
Maxillary branch (V2) of the trigeminal nerve (CNV)
Foremen ovale
Structures passing between middle cranial fossa and infratemporal fossa:
Structures:
1) Mandibular branch (V3) of trigeminal nerve (CNV)
2) accessory meningeal artery
3) Lesser petrosal nerve
4) emissary vein
Carotid canal
Structures passing between middle cranial fossa and the neck.
Structures:
Internal carotid artery
Foremen spinosum
Structures passing between middle cranial fossa and infratemporal fossa
Structures:
Middle meningeal artery
Jugular foramen
Structures passing between posterior cranial fossa and neck
Structures:
1) Internal jugular vein
2) Glossopharyngeal nerve (CNIX)
3) Vagus nerve (CNX)
4) Accessory nerve (CNXI)
5) sigmoid sinus
6) inferior petrosal sinus
Foramen magnum
Structures passing between posterior cranial fossa and neck.
Structures:
• end of brain stem and beginning of spinal cord
• Vertebral arteries
• spinal roots of accessory nerve [CNX] pass from upper region of spinal cord through the foramen magnum into the cranial cavity and then leave the cranial cavity through the jugular foramen
•meninges
Cribriform plate
Connects Anterior cranial fossa and nasal cavity
Structures:
Foramina in the cribriform plate allow the passage of the olfactory nerve (CNI)
Optic canal
Connects middle cranial fossa and orbit
Structures:
Optic nerve (CNII)
Ophthalmic artery
Superior orbital fissure
Structures:
1) Oculomotor nerve (CNIII)
2) Trochlear nerve (CNIV)
3) Opthalmic branch (V1) of trigeminal nerve
4) Abducens nerve (CNVI)
5) superior opthalmic vein
Foramen lacerum
Fills with cartilage in life
Internal acoustic meatus
Connects posterior cranial fossa and ear & neck
Structures:
1) Facial nerve (CNVII)
2) Vestibulocochlear nerve (CNVIII)
3) labyrinthine artery and vein
Hypoglossal canal
Connects posterior cranial fossa and neck
Structures:
Hypoglossal nerve (CNXII)
Meningeal branch of ascending pharyngeal artery
Stylomastoid Foramen
Facial nerve (CNVII)
Foramen cecum
Emissary veins to nasal cavity
Hiatus for greater petrosal nerve
Greater petrosal nerve
Hiatus for lesser petrosal nerve
Lesser petrosal nerve
Condylar canal
Emissary vein
Supra-orbital foramen
Supra-orbital nerve and vessels
Infra-orbital Foramen
Infra-orbital nerve and vessels
Mental Foramen
Mental nerve and vessels
Zygomaticofacial foramen
Zygomaticofacial nerve and vessels
Parietal foramen
Emissary veins
Incisive foramen
Nasopalatine nerve
sphenopalatine vessels
Greater palatine foramen
Greater palatine nerve and vessels
