Laboratory Identifications and Relations -- Skull
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[ SBMP ] [ Skull ] [ Face ]
[ Cavernous Sinus ] [ Orbit ]
[ Parotid Region, TMJ, Mandible ] [ Infratemporal Fossa ]
[ Pterygopalatine Fossa ]
Skull - Anterior View
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supraorbital notch (foramen) - communication between orbit and face
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glabella - between supercilliary ridges
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supercilliary ridge - anterior boundary of potential space of scalp
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superior orbital fissure - greater and lesser wings of sphenoid bone, communication
between middle cranial fossa and orbit
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inferior orbital fissure - greater wing sphenoid and maxilla, communication
between pterygopalatine fossa, infratemporal fossa, and orbit
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foramina for anterior and posterior ethmoidal nn. - communication between
orbit, ethmoid air cells, and lateral nasal cavity
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foramina for zygomaticotemporal and zygomaticofacial nerves - communication
between orbit and face
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lacrimal fossa - location of lacrimal sac
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tubercle for medial palprebral lig. - anterior to lacrimal fossa
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infraorbital groove, canal, and foramen - communication between orbit and
face
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perpendicular plate ethmoid bone - superior bony contribution to nasal
septum
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vomer - inferior bony contribution to nasal septum
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superior, middle, and inferior nasal conchae - lateral nasal wall (called
turbinates when covered with mucosa as in life)
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superior alveolar process
Skull - Lateral View
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pterion - opposite anterior branch middle meningeal a. (epidural hematoma),
suture site of four bones
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external auditory meatus
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zygoma
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temporal process - this plus zygoma constitutes the zygomatic arch, site
of origin for masseter
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mastoid process - origin of sternocleidomastoid, common bony landmark
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styloid process - three muscles having three different innervations take
origin here (the non-"inverted tripod" of the head)
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coronal and lambdoid sutures - frontal to parietal to occipital
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posterior aspect of maxilla
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foramen for posterior superior alveolar n. - between infratemporal fossa
and maxillary sinus
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lateral pterygoid plate
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pterygomaxillary fissure - between pterygopalatine fossa and infratemporal
fossa
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mandibular fossa - temporomandibular joint
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articular tubercle - temporomandibular joint
Skull - Base View
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incisive foramen - communication between nasal cavity and oral cavity nasopalatine
nn.
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greater palatine foramen and canal - communication between pterygopalatine
fossa (PTF) and hard palate (oral cavity)
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lesser palatine foramen and canal - communication between PTF and soft
palate (oral cavity)
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hamulus of medial pterygoid plate - sphenoid bone, tenser veli palatini
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lateral pterygoid plate - origin of lateral and medial pterygoid mm., medial
border infratemporal fossa
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scaphoid fossa - base of pterygoid plates, origin of tenser veli palatini
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lacerate foramen - filled by cartilage in life, emissary v., opening of
pterygoid canal, opening of carotid canal, posterior border cavernous sinus
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pterygoid canal - communication between middle cranial fossa and pterygopalatine
fossa, vidian n., deep petrosal n., greater superficial petrosal n.
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pharyngeal canal - communication between nasopharynx and pterygopalatine
fossa, pharyngeal n., (palatovaginal canal)
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carotid canal - communication between base of skull and middle cranial
fossa, internal carotid a.
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foramen ovale - communication between infratemporal fossa and middle cranial
fossa
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foramen spinosum - communication between middle cranial fossa and infratemporal
fossa, middle meningeal a.
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spine of sphenoid bone - adjacent to foramen spinosum, sphenomandibular
ligament
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stylomastoid foramen - communication between posterior cranial fossa and
parotid region via facial canal
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jugular foramen and fossa - communication between posterior cranial fossa
and base of skull, int. jugular v., inf. petrosal v, IX, X, XI
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tympanic canaliculus - between base of skull and middle ear, recurrent
(tympanic br.) of IX
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petrotympanic fissure - between middle ear and infratemporal fossa, chorda
tympani
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pharyngeal tubercle - buccopharyngeal fascia
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occipital condyle - atlantooccipital joint, flexion, extension
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external occipital protuberance - common landmark, superior nuchal line
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foramen magnum - not to be overlooked
Mandible
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condyle - site of insertion for inferior head lateral pterygoid muscle
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neck - anterior to external auditory canal
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coronoid process - insertion of temporalis muscle
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mandibular notch - transmits masseteric artery and nerve to masseter muscle
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ramus - lateral boarder of infratemporal fossa, retromandibular vein, maxillary
artery, parotid gland
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angle - near level of lingula (medial surface)
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body - most commonly broken bone in males, fracture puts inferior alveolar
nerve and artery at risk
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inferior alveolar process - base of teeth
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mandibular foramen - transmits inferior alveolar nerve and artery into
mandible, inferior to lingula
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lingula - site of attachment of sphenomandibular ligament
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digastric fossa - origin of anterior belly of digastric muscle
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superior and inferior mental spine - origin of genioglossus and geniohyoid
muscles
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sphenomandibular ligament - from spine of sphenoid to lingula, limits depression
of the mandible
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mental foramen - transmits mental nerve and artery (continuation of inferior
alveolar nerve)
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inferior alveolar nerve and artery - provides the inferior dental plexus
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inferior dental plexus
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temporalis muscle - arises from temporal fossa, medial to zygomatic arch,
inserts on coronoid process and anterior ramus
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masseter muscle - arises from zygomatic arch, inserts on lateral body and
angle of mandible
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medial pterygoid muscle - originates from medial aspect of lateral pterygoid
plate, inserts on medial body
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mental nerve and artery
Pterygopalatine Fossa (PTF) and Communcations
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foramen rotundum - bony communication between PTF and middle cranial fossa,
posterosuperior wall of PTF
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pterygoid canal - bony communication between PTF and middle cranial fossa,
anterior lip of lacerate foramen, posterior wall of PTF
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pharyngeal (palatovaginal) canal - bony communication between PTF and nasopharynx,
posteroinferior wall of PTF
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lesser palatine canal - bony communication between PTF and oral cavity
(soft palate), floor (inferior wall) of PTF
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greater palatine canal - bony communication between PTF and oral cavity
(hard palate), floor (inferior wall) of PTF
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sphenopalatine canal - bony communication between PTF and nasal cavity,
medial wall of PTF
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pterygomaxillary fissure - bony communication between PTF and infratemporal
fossa, lateral wall of PTF
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inferior orbital fissure - bony communication between PTF and orbit, anterior
wall of PTF
Cranial Nerve Foramina
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cribriform plate of ethmoid bone - transmits olfactory fila between anterior
cranial fossa and nasal cavity
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optic canal - transmits optic nerve from middle cranial fossa to
orbit
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superior orbital fissure - transmits oculomotor, trochlear, ophthalmic
(trigeminal), and aducens nerves from middle cranial fossa to orbit
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internal auditory meatus - transmits facial and vestibulocochlear nerves
from posterior cranial fossa into the petris temporal bone
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jugular foramen - transmits glossopharyngeal, vagus, and spinal accessory
nerves from the posterior cranial fossa to the base of skull region
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hypoglossal canal - transmits hypoglossal nerve from the posterior cranial
fossa to the base of skull region
The Structural Basis of Medical Practice
(Copyright Protected -- L.A. Evey, Ph.D.)