Skull & Cranial Vault

NIHD 2017
Jeremy J. Laukka, Ph.D.
Department of Medical Education & Neurology
Assistant Dean for Foundational Sciences
 Definitions and Terminology
A. Skull (cranium) :
Sutures
bony/cartilaginous framework
of the head (22 bones)
B. Calvarium: upper, dome-like
portion of the skull
Diploe
C. Neurocranium (cranial bones)
portion of skull that encloses
the brain & brainstem
D. Viscerocranium (facial bones
bones of the face
E. Pericranium: periosteum of the
cranium
F. Lamellae: platelike sheets of
bone
G. Diploe: cancellous bone that
Fontanelles
contains red marrow during life
H. Sutures: joints between the
bones of the skull
I. Fontanelles: open areas
between the bones of the
fetal/infant skull
MDA Fig. B 7.6, pg 839 G Fig. 29.5, pg. 457 G Fig. 29.3, pg. 456
 Bones of the Skull: Neurocranium
(Cranial Bones)
A. Frontal
B. Parietal (2)
C. Temporal (2)
D.Occipital
E. Sphenoid
F. *Ethmoid

MDA Fig. 7.1B, pg 823

 Bones of the Skull: Viscerocranium
(Facial Bones)
A. Lacrimal (2)
B. Nasal (2)
C. Maxillae (2)
D.Zygomatic (2)
E. Palatine (2)
F. Inferior nasal
conchae (2)
G.Mandible
H.Vomer
 Frontal Bone MDA Fig. 7.4A, pg 826

Frontal
Frontal

1. Bony landmarks
a. Supraorbital margin (arch) contains the
supraorbital notch (foramen)
2. Foramina
a. Supraorbital notch (foramen) (supraorbital
artery, vein and nerve (V 1)
 Parietal Bones MDA Fig. 7.4A, pg 826

1. Relationships
a. Lateral bones of the skull which Parietal
articulate with each other at the
sagittal suture
b. Articulate with the frontal bone at
the coronal suture (bregma)
c. Articulate with the occipital bone at
Lambdoidal
the lambdoidal suture (lambda) suture
d. Articulate with the temporal bones
Squamous suture
at the squamous suture (pterion)
e. On internal surface has grooves for
branches of middle meningeal
artery (MMA)
Coronal suture

Sagittal suture

G Fig. 29.4A, pg 457

 Craniometric Landmarks

Pterion: Junction of the greater wing of the

sphenoid with squamous, temporal, frontal
and parietal sutures, overlies the middle
Pterion meningeal artery (MMA)

MDA Fig. 7.6, pg 823

 Temporal Bones
Relationships
a. Lateral bones of the skull which articulate
with the parietal and sphenoid bones at the
squamous suture
b. Has a three portions (parts)
1. Petrous: hard, protects inner/middle ear
2. Squamous: flat, vulnerable
3. Zygomatic: contibutes to the zygomatic
arch

MDA Fig. 7.4A, pg 826

Bony Landmarks
a. Mastoid process is posterior and inferior to
the external acoustic meatus
b. Styloid process is anterior and medial to the
mastoid process
c. Mandibular fossa accommodates the
mandible at the temporomandibular joint
(TMJ)
 Temporal Bone

Foramina
a. External auditory (acoustic) meatus is the opening to the ear
b. Stylomastoid foramen (motor branch of CN VII)
c. Carotid canal (internal carotid artery)
Occipital Bones
1. Relationships
a. Articulates with parietal bones
at lambdoidal suture (lambda)

2. Bony Landmarks
a. External occipital protuberance
and inferior/superior nuchal
lines provide important
muscle attachment sites
Occipital Bones Bony Landmarks
b. Basilar part: midline between two
occipital condyles
c. Clivus: occipital bone plus sphenoid
bone
d. Internal occipital protubernance
e. Sulcus (groove) for transverse sinus
Occipital Bones Foramina
a. Large inferior opening is the foramen
magnum (spinal cord, vertebral
arteries, anterior/posterior spinal
arteries, CN XI)
b. Jugular foramen (internal jugular
vein, CNs IX, X, XI)
c. Hypoglossal canal (CN XII)
d. Foramen lacerum
e. Carotid Canal
 Sphenoid Bone
Relationships
Bat-shaped bone with two pairs of wings and two pairs of feet
Bony landmarks
a. Lateral processes (greater wings) seen laterally
b. Lateral processes (lesser wings) are smaller
c. Anterior and posterior clinoid processes found superior
d. Sella turcica: includes the hypophyseal fossa for pituitary
gland, clinoid processes and (dorsum) sellae

Superior view
 Sphenoid Bone
Bony landmarks
e. Inferior processes (lateral/medial pterygoid plates)
f. Sella turcica: includes the hypophyseal fossa for pituitary
gland,
g. Anterior and posterior clinoid processes found superior
h. Medial pteryoid plate (Hamulus) & lateral pterygoid plate

Posterior view
Sphenoid Bone
Foramina
a. Superior orbital fissure (CN III,
IV, V1, VI)
b. Optic canal (CN II)
c. Foramen ovale (CN V3)
d. Foramen spinosum (MMA)
e. Foramen rotundum (CN V2)
 Ethmoid bone (unpaired)
Ethmoid Bone Relationships
a. Most deeply situated bone of the skull
Bony landmarks
a. Crista galli provides attachment for dura mater
b. Perpendicular plate involved in formation of the
nasal septum
c. Forms the (superior and middle nasal conchae)
d. Orbital plate (lamina papyracea)
e. Air cells
Foramina
a. a. Cribriform plates found rostrally (CN I)

G Fig. 29.9B, pg 460 (superior)

 Nasal Bone
Nasal bones (paired)
1. Relationships
a. Small bones forming the
bridge of the nose
b. Attach inferiorly to cartilage
which makes up most of the
nose

MDA Fig. 7.3, pg 825

 Maxillae Bone
MDA Fig. 7.3, pg 825

Relationships
a. Serve as the keystone of the face
(articulates with all bones of the
face except mandible)
b. Form the inferior border of the
orbits
c. Zygomatic process which
contributes to the formation of
the zygomatic arch
d. Palatine portion (process) forms
rostral part of hard palate
Bony landmarks
a. Form the upper jaw with alveoli
(alveolar processes/portion) for
the teeth
b. Anterior nasal spine
Foramina
a. Infraorbital foramina (infraorbital
vessels and nerve (CN V2))
 Zygomatic Bone
Zygomatic bones (paired)
1. Relationships
a. Form the prominence of the cheek
Articulate with the frontal, sphenoid, maxillae and temporal bones
Main component of the zygomatic arch

MDA Fig. 7.4A, pg 826

 Palatine Bones

Palatine bones (paired)

Relationships
a. Articulate with each other to
form the hard palate
Foramina
a. Greater palatine foramen:
greater palatine vessels and
nerve
b. Lesser palatine foramen:
lesser palatine vessels and
nerves
c. Incisive fossa: nasopalatine
nerves

G Fig. 36.1, pg 538

 Inferior Nasal Conchae
Inferior Nasal Conchae (paired)
Relationships
a. Project medially from the lateral walls of
the nasal cavity
b. Form the lowest of three horizontal
shelves in the nasal cavity (superior and
middle conchae are part of ethmoid bones)

MDA Fig. 7.3, pg 825 MDA Fig. 7.102A, pg 956

Mandible Bony Landmarks
a. Consists of a body, a ramus and an angle
b. Ramus has an anterior coronoid process and a
posterior condyle (condylar process)
c. Mandibular notch
Foramina
a. Mental foramen (mental nerve (CN V3) and
vessels)
b. Medial side of ramus has mandibular (inferior
alveolar) foramen (inferior alveolar nerve (V3)
and vessels)

G Fig. 30.4, pg 464

 Vomer
Vomer (unpaired)
1. Relationships
a. Small, plowshare-shaped bone which contributes to the medial
wall of the nasal cavities
Internal Fossae of the Skull
Foramina
Contents
Infratemporal Fossa
1. Foramina
a. foramen ovale: V3
b. foramen spinosum: MMA
c. inferior orbital fissure
d. pterygomaxillary fissure: doorway from infratemporal fossa to
pterygopalatine fossa
2. Muscles of mastication
3. Maxillary artery
4. Mandibular division of
trigeminal nerve (V3 of CN V)
 Pterygopalatine Fossa

G Fig 32.19, pg 504

G Fig 32.20, pg 505
 Fetal/Newborn Skull
MDA Fig. 7.6B, pg 839 MDA Fig. 7.6A, pg 839

Anterior

Posterior

Mastoid
Sphenoid
 Auditory Ossicles

G Fig. 35.3, pg 528 G Fig. 35.10B, pg 531

MDA Fig. 8.3B, pg 984
Hyoid Bone MDA 8.3A, pg 984

Body
 References
G = Gilroy AM, MacPherson BR, & Ross LM. 2008. Atlas of Anatomy. New York: Thieme.
MDA= Moore KL, Dalley AF, & Agur AMR. 2010. Clinically oriented anatomy (6th edition). Philadelphia:
Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
N= Netter FH. 2011. Atlas of Human Anatomy. Philadelphia: Saunders/Elsevier.