Skull Osteology

Question 1

what is the large hole in the bottom of the skull called?

Answer 1

foramen magnum

Question 2

What is ‘coning’

Answer 2

swelling of the brain tends to push out towards the foramen magnum - putting pressure on the brain stem = death

Question 3

is the fetal skull rigid?

Answer 3

no the fetal skull lis not rigid

Question 4

What are the facial bones in the skull?

Answer 4

Facial

• Maxilla
• Mandible
• Palatine
• Zygomatic
• Vomer
• Nasal
• lacrimal
• Nasal Conchae

Question 5

what are the cranial bones?

Answer 5

Occipital

Frontal

Sphenoid

Ethmoid

Parietal

Temporal

Question 6

what is the diploe?

Answer 6

Diploe is the spongy bone separating

the inner and outer layers of cortical bone

Question 7

are the joints of the skull moveable?

Answer 7

•Sutures: immovable fibrous joints

–Coronal

–Sagittal

–Lambdoid

Question 8

why is the fontanelle clinically relevant?

Answer 8

they allow us to palpate the skull and check for increased pressure

Question 9

what type of joint is the TMJ?

Answer 9

it is an atypical synovial joint

Question 10

what are the sutures of the skull?

Answer 10

coronal , sagittal, and lamboid suture?

Question 11

what muscles end at the superior nuchal line?

Answer 11

trapezius

sternocleidomastoid

occipitalis

splenius capitis

Question 12

what muscle attaches to the temporalis?

Answer 12

temporus - allows you to lift your jaw up

Question 13

what is the significance of the pterion?

Answer 13

the pterion -

Question 14

does the middle meningeal artery run within or outside of the dura?

Answer 14

it runs outside of the dura - just below the pterion

Question 15

what goes through the pterygomaxillary fissure?

Answer 15

maxillary artery - which is one of the terminal branches of the external carotid artery - there is a hole that goes through it called the foramen rotundum -

Question 16

what enters the pterygoid canal?

Answer 16

nerve of the pterygoid canal - parasympathetics- greater petrosal nerve and

sympathetics - deep petrosal nerve

Question 17

where do the parasympathetics synapse in order to allow branches to the lacrimal, nasal and palatal glands?

Answer 17

pterygopalatine ganglion

Question 18

what articulates at the temporal mandibular joint?

Answer 18

atypical synovial joint between temporal bone and the mandible

Question 19

the bony prominence behind the ear is what?

Answer 19

mastoid process - which is part of the temporal bone

Question 20

what are the different foramina of the skull?

Answer 20

•

•Foramina

–Ovale

–Spinosum

–Carotid canal

–Stylomastoid

–Jugular

• foramen magnum

Question 21

what gives the spinal cord its blood supply?

Answer 21

anterior/posterior spinal arteries

Question 22

what passes through the hypoglossal foramen?

Answer 22

the hypoglossal nerve - which supplies movemet to the tongue

Question 23

what passes through the carotid canal?

Answer 23

the internal carotid artery - gives no branches outside of the skull

Question 24

what bones make up the hard palate?

Answer 24

–Palatine process of maxilla

–Horizontal plate of palatine

Question 25

through the palatine bones - what foramina are present?

Answer 25

•Foramina

–Greater palatine foramen

–Lesser palatine foramen

–Incisive foramen

Question 26

Describe all of the structures that pass through the foramina of the base of the skull

Answer 26

Question 27

what passes through the foramen spinosum?

Answer 27

the means by which the middle meningeal artery enters the skull = behind the pterion

Question 28

what are the veins which pass from the scalp - to inside of the skull?

Answer 28

the emissary veins

Question 30

what is the elevation in the middle of the anterior cranial fossa?

Answer 30

the frontal crest

Question 31

smell is associated with what system?

Answer 31

it is associated with the limbic system - so it’s deeply connected to emotion -

Question 32

describe all the regions of the middle cranial fossa

Answer 32

Question 33

describe the regions of the posterior cranial fossa

Answer 33

Question 34

the angle of the mandible is really important landmark for identifying what vein?

Answer 34

the external jugular vein

Question 35

describe the fetal skull

Answer 35

cranium and face ossification = intramembranous

base = endochondral ossification

vault = cancellous bone diploe

bones ossified but mobile at birth - sutures ossify later -

Question 36

what types of joints joint the bones of the skull?

Answer 36

they are all primary cartilagenous joints which ossify as we get older - however, the temporal manidbular joint is atypical synovial