Bones of the cranium and skull foramina

Question 1

Label the following diagram:

Answer 1

Question 2

Label the following diagram:

Answer 2

Question 3

Label the following diagram:

Answer 3

Question 4

Label the following diagram:

Answer 4

Question 5

Label the following diagram:

Answer 5

Question 6

Label the following diagram:

Answer 6

Question 7

Label the following diagram:

Answer 7

Question 8

Which nerve passes through the cribriform plate of ethmoid?

Answer 8

Olfactory nerve fibres pass through cribriform plate of ethmoid

Question 9

Which foramen do olfactory nerve fibres pass through?

Answer 9

Cribriform plate of ethmoid

Question 10

Which nerve and vessels pass through the optic canal?

Answer 10

Optic nerve

Central artery of retinal

Ophthalmic artery

(all pass through the optic canal)

Question 11

Which foramen does the optic nerve pass through, along with the central artery of retinal, and ophthalmic artery?

Answer 11

Optic canal

Question 12

Which nerves and vessels pass through the superior orbital fissure?

Answer 12

Oculomotor (III)

Trochlear (IV)

Ophthalmic division of V (V1)

Abducent (VI)

Superior ophthalmic vein

(all pass through superior orbital fissure)

Question 13

Which foramen do the oculomotor, trochlear, ophthalmic division of trigeminal, and abducent nerves pass through, along with the superior ophthalmic vein?

Answer 13

Superior orbital fissure

Question 14

Which nerve passes through the foramen rotundum?

Answer 14

Maxillary division of trigeminal (V2)

Question 15

Which foramen does the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve (V2) pass through?

Answer 15

Foramen rotundum

Question 16

Which nerve passes through the foramen ovale?

Answer 16

Mandibular division of trigeminal (V3) passes through foramen ovale

Question 17

Which foramen does the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve (V3) pass through?

Answer 17

Foramen ovale

Question 18

Which vessel passes through the foramen lacerum and sphenopetrosal fissure?

Answer 18

Internal carotid artery passes through foramen lacerum; sphenopetrosal fissure

Question 19

Which foramen does the internal carotid artery pass through?

Answer 19

Internal carotid artery passes through foramen lacerum; sphenopetrosal fissure

Question 20

Which vessels pass through the foramen spinosum?

Answer 20

Middle meningeal artery and vein pass through foramen spinosum

Question 21

Which foramen do the middle meningeal artery and vein pass through?

Answer 21

Middle meningeal artery and vein pass through foramen spinosum

Question 22

Which vessel passes through the carotid canal and internal aperture?

Answer 22

Internal carotid artery passes through carotid canal, internal aperture

Question 23

Which foramen does the internal carotid artery pass through?

Answer 23

Internal carotid artery passes through carotid canal, internal aperture

Question 24

Which nerves and vessel pass through the internal acoustic meatus?

Answer 24

Facial (VII)

Vestibulocochlear (VIII)

Labyrinthine artery

(all pass through internal acoustic meatus)

Question 25

Which foramen do the facial (VII) nerve, vestibulocochlear (VIII) nerve and labyrinthine artery pass through?

Answer 25

The facial (VII) nerve, vestibulocochlear (VIII) nerve, and labyrinthine artery pass through the internal acoustic meatus

Question 26

Which nerves and vessels pass through the jugular foramen?

Answer 26

Glossopharyngeal (IX) nerve

Vagus (X) nerve

Accessory (XI) nerve

Sigmoid sinus –> internal jugular vein

(all pass through jugular foramen)

Question 27

Which foramen do the glossopharyngeal (IX) nerve, vagus (X) nerve, accessory (XI) nerve, and sigmoid sinus –> internal jugular vein pass through?

Answer 27

The glossopharyngeal (IX) nerve, vagus (X) nerve, accessory (XI) nerve, and sigmoid sinus –> internal jugular vein pass through the jugular foramen

Question 28

Which nerve passes through the hypoglossal canal?

Answer 28

Hypoglossal (XII) nerve passes through the hypoglossal canal

Question 29

Which foramen does the hypoglossal (XII) nerve pass through?

Answer 29

The hypoglossal (XII) nerve passes through the hypoglossal canal

Question 30

Which nerves, vessels and structures pass through the foramen magnum?

Answer 30

Vertebral arteries

Medulla of brain

Spinal roots of accessory nerves

(all pass through foramen magnum)

Question 31

Which foramen do the vertebral arteries, medulla of brain, and spinal roots of accessory nerve pass through?

Answer 31

Vertebral arteries, medulla of brain, and spinal roots of accessory nerve pass through foramen magnum.

Question 32

Which nerve passes through the stylomastoid foramen?

Answer 32

Facial nerve (VII) passes through the stylomastoid foramen

Question 33

Which vessels pass through the foramen cecum?

Answer 33

Emissary veins to nasal cavity pass through foramen cecum

Question 34

Which vessel passes through the condylar canal?

Answer 34

Emissary vein passes through condylar canal

Question 35

Which structures pass through the supraorbital foramen?

Answer 35

Supraorbital nerve and vessels pass through the supraorbital foramen

Question 36

Which structures pass through the infraorbital foramen?

Answer 36

Infraorbital nerve and vessels pass through the infraorbital foramen

Question 37

Which structures pass through the mental foramen?

Answer 37

Mental nerve and vessels pass through the mental foramen

Question 38

Which nerve passes through the zygomaticofacial foramen?

Answer 38

Zygomaticofacial nerve

Question 39

Which vessels pass through the parietal foramen?

Answer 39

Emissary veins

Question 40

Which structures pass through the incisive foramen?

Answer 40

Nasopalatine nerve

Sphenopalatine vessels

Question 41

Which structures pass through the greater palatine foramen?

Answer 41

Greater palatine nerve and vessels

Question 42

Which structures pass through the lesser palatine foramen?

Answer 42

Lesser palatine nerve and vessels

Question 43

Which structures pass through the pterygoid canal?

Answer 43

Pterygoid nerve and vessels

Question 44

Which foramen is filled with cartilage?

Answer 44

Foramen lacerum

Question 45

What is the pterion, and what is its clinical importance in relationship to the middle meningeal artery?

Answer 45

The pterion is at the temple- a small circular area enclosing the region where the sphenoid, frontal, parietal, and temporal bones of the skull come together. It is a weak point.

Lateral blows to the head can fracture the internal table of bone of the skull and tear the middle meningeal artery in the outer layer of dura mater that is fused to the cranium. Blood under pulsatile arterial pressure leaks out of the vessel and gradually separates the dura from the bone, forming a progressively larger extradural haematoma.