Download Cranial Bone Features

Cranial Bones and Important Features
(this is meant to be a study aide, NOT a complete parts list)
Cranial Bone:
Frontal
Features:
Ant and Post Ethmoidal foramina (ant & post ethmoidal arteries (ophthalmic) and nerves (V 1)
frontal sinus
Glabella (L: glaber = smooth and hairless)
groove of superior sagital sinus
superior roof of orbit
Supraorbital foramen
Sphenoid
Note: the sphenoid is shaped like a bat with its wings extended
Anterior and Posterior Clinoid processes - or the 4 bedposts (Gk: klinik = bed)
Carotid groove (from f. lacerum to medial side of ant clinoid process)
Dorsum sella ("dorsal" part of "sella turcica")
Foramen Lacerum (L: "a laceration")
Foramen ovale (oval) (V 3)
Foramen rotundum (round) (V2)
Foramen spinosum
(middle meningial artery from maxillary artery)
(named because foramen opens inferiorly - medial to the sphenoid spine or spina angularis)
Greater wings (inferior-lateral part of bone)
Lesser wings (superior-lateral part)
superior orbital fissure
(CN III, IV, V 3 and VI)
Optic canal (CN II and ophthalmic a.) and ant clinoid process
Medial and Lateral pterygoid plates = pterygoid process
(pterygoid = Gk: winglike, i.e. pterodactyl…in Latin, winglike = alar)
Pterygoid hamulus (hamulus = hook), on medial pterygoid plate
Pituitary fossa or hypophyseal fossa; found within Sella turcica (L: Turkish saddle)
Pterygoid canal (Vidian nerve)
Pterygomaxillary fissure (ant/post space between pterygoid process and maxilla)
Pterygopalatine fossa (space between pterygoid process and palatine bone
Sphenoid sinus
Sphenopalatine foramen (openning from pterygopalatine fossa into nasal cavity)
Maxilla
Zygomatic
alveolar foramina (superior posterior alveolar artery and nerve)
floor of orbit
incisive canal
Inferior orbital fissure (between maxillary and sphenoid bones)
Infraorbital groove
(Infraorbital nerve - V 2)
Infraorbital foramen
maxillary sinus
openning of nasolacrimal canal (L : "lacrimation = crying")
Zygomatic process
Frontal and Temporal processes
Lateral wall of orbit
zygomatic arch (temporal process with zygomatic process of temporal bone)
zygomaticofacial foramen (zygomaticofacial nerve - from zygomatic n. of V 2)
zygomaticotemporal foramen (zygomaticotemporal nerve - from zygomatic n. of V 2)
Temporal
ossicles (bones) of middle ear
Carotid canal (internal carotid artery)
External auditory meatus (a canal)
groove for sigmoid sinus
groove for superior petrosal sinus
Hiatus for the lesser and the greater petrosal nerves
Internal auditory or accoustic meatus (CN VII and VIII)
Jugular foramen (Jugular vein & CN IX, X, XI)
mandibular fossa (fossa for head of mandible)
Mastoid process (GK: Mastos = breast + oid = like)
Petrotympanic fissure (foramen for chorda tympani)(the fissure passes through mandibular fossa)
Squamous (flat) and Petrous (rocky) portions
Styloid process (GK: stylos = needle + oid = like, i.e. the stylus of your record player ?)
StyloMastoid foramen (CN VII)
Tympanic canaliculus (for passage of lesser petrosal nerve from CN IX to tympanic plexus)
Zygomatic process
Mandible
Alveolar crest or ridge (alveus = L : "cup" or "belly", i.e. the tooth sits in a cup in the gum)
Condylar process (Gk : "knuckle" = articular surface)
Coronoid process ("crown-like", as in "coronation" - attachment of temporalis m)
Mandibular condyle (articulates with mandibular fossa of temporal bone)
Mandibular foramen (inferior alveolar a. and n.)(partially covered by a bony "lingula")
Mandibular notch (masseteric artery and nerve)
Mental Foramen (mental artery and nerve of V 3)
Mylohyoid line (attachment of mylohyoid)(submandibular gland lies inferior)
Ramus (L: "branch" )
Occipital
Floor of the posterior cranial fossa
Foramen magnum (spinal cord, vertebral arteries, and spinal root of XI)
Hypoglossal canal (CN XII)
Inf and Sup nuchal lines
Internal (confluence of sinuses) and external occipital protuberance
Occipital condyles (articulate with Atlas or 1st cervical vertebra)
Ethmoid
Cribiform plate - composed of Olfactory fossa (Olfactory bulb and CNs I)
Crista galli (L . "Crest of Rooster")(attachment of falx cerebri)
Superior and middle nasal conchae
Inferior nasal concha (with sup and middle nasal conchae, form lateral wall of nasal cavity)
Lacrimal
Palatine
posterior wall of fossa for lacrimal sac (superior part of nasolacrimal duct)
"hard palate"
greater and lesser palatine foramina
horizontal and perpendicular plates
Vomer
Orbit
roof = frontal
lateral wall = zygomatic
medial inferior = maxilla and orbital process of palatine
medial = ethmoid and lacrimal
posterior = lesser and greater wing of sphenoid (superior and inferior orbital fissure)