Human Structure II – Head & Neck
Skull Structures - Neurocranium
External Structures – normal text
Internal Structures – bold, underline, italic
Sutural (Wormian) bones can located along any suture, but are inconsistent from skull to skull, person to person.
Frontal
Parietal
superciliary arch
ethmoidal foramen (ant / post)
supraorbital notch / foramen
metopic suture (child)
frontoparietal / coronal suture
bregma (fontanelle)
nasion
glabella
frontal sinus (air)
frontal crest
superior sagittal sinus groove / sulcus
foveolae granulares
parietal emissary foramen
interparietal / sagittal suture
parieto-occipital / lambdoidal suture
lambda
pterion
temporal lines
superior sagittal sinus groove / sulcus
Occipital
Temporal
foveolae granulares
middle meningeal artery/vein groove
squamous part
nuchal lines (sup / inf)
external occipital protuberance
inion
foramen magnum
occipital condyle
condylar canal / foramen
basilar part
clivus
hypoglossal canal / foramen
internal occipital protuberance
superior sagittal sinus groove / sulcus
mastoid process
mastoid notch
mastoid emissary foramen / canal
stylomastoid foramen
styloid process
squamous part
zygomatic process
mandibular fossa
articular tubercle
articular eminence
squamosal suture
temporal fossa
carotid canal
foramen lacerum
pharyngeotympanic tube
external acoustic meatus
asterion
jugular foramen
petrotympanic fissure
middle meningeal artery/vein groove
petrous part
malleus / hammer
incus / anvil
stapes / stirrup
sigmoid sinus groove /sulcus
internal acoustic meatus
greater petrosal nerve groove/foramen
petrosal sinus grooves (sup/inf)
jugular fossa
lesser petrosal nerve groove/foramen
tympanic canniculus
mastoid air cells
facial canal
spheno-occipital synostosis or synchondrosis
transverse sinus groove / sulcus
Sphenoid
Ethmoid
body
greater wing
optic canal
superior orbital fissure
inferior orbital fissure
sphenoid spine
infratemporal fossa
pterygoid plates (med/lat)
hamulus
pterygoid canal
pterygoid fossa
pterygomaxillary fissure
pterygopalatine fossa
scaphoid fossa
sella turcica
hypophyseal fossa
dorsum sellae
tuberculum sellae
clinoid processes (ant/post)
chiasmatic sulcus
sphenoid air sinus
clivus
foramen rotundum
foramen ovale
foramen spinosum
lesser wing
body
cribriform plate
cribriform foramen
crista galli
foramen cecum
ethmoid air cells
nasal conchae (sup/middle)
perpendicular plate
Skull Structures - Viscerocranium
Maxilla
alveolar part
incisive canal / foramen
dental arch
maxillary teeth
2 incisor / 1 canine (cuspid) / 2 pre-molar (bicuspid) / 3 molar teeth
alveolar processes
posterior superior alveolar foramen
canine eminence
zygomatic process
palatine process
body
maxillary tuberosity
infraorbital groove/canal/foramen
nasolacrimal canal
anterior nasal spine
piriform aperture
intermaxillary suture
body
alveolar part
dental arch
mandibular teeth
2 incisor / 1 canine (cuspid) / 2 pre-molar (bicuspid) / 3 molar teeth
alveolar processes
angle
mental foramen
mental protuberance
mental spines
mylohyoid line
digastric fossa
submandibular fossa
ramus
mandibular condyle/head/neck
coronoid process
pterygoid fovea
mandibular notch
mandibular foramen/canal
lingual
maxillary air sinus
Mandible
mylohyoid groove
Palatine
perpendicular plate
sphenopalatine foramen
horizontal plate
palatine foramen (great/less)
posterior nasal spine
interpalatine suture
maxillopalatine suture
interpalatine suture
palatovaginal canal
Vomer
ala
perpendicular plate
posterior nasal choana
Zygomatic
frontal/temporal/maxillary processes
body
zygomatic arch
zygomaticofacial foramen
zygomaticoorbital foramen
zygomaticotemporal foramen
Nasal
Lacrimal
Inferior Nasal Conchae
These last three are NOT bone, but instead are just locations with many openings for nerves, arteries and veins
Anterior cranial fossa
Middle cranial fossa
Posterior cranial fossa
Purpose of Bony Passages
Most structures running through bony passages are named for those passages,
but understanding where those structures come from is important.
Below is a list of passages that transmit more than their similarly named vessels and nerves
Optic canal (sphenoid bone)
optic nerve (CN II)
ophthalmic artery
Superior orbital fissure (sphenoid bone)
oculomotor nerve (CNIII)
trochlear nerve (CN IV)
frontal, lacrimal, and nasociliary branches of ophthalmic division of trigeminal nerve (V1)
abducens nerve (CN VI)
ophthalmic veins
Inferior orbital fissure
zygomatic and infraorbital branches of maxillary nerve (V2)
infraorbital vessels
emissary vein
Mandibular foramen (mandible)
inferior alveolar nerve (CN V3) and vessels
Pterygomaxillary fissure (sphenoid)
maxillary artery
Sphenopalatine foramen (palatine)
posterior lateral nasal nerve (V2)
posterior nasal septal nerve (V2)
sphenopalatine vessels
Stylomastoid Foramen (temporal)
facial nerve (CN VII)
Incisive foramen (maxillary)
nasopalatine nerve (V2) and vessels
Foramen rotundum (sphenoid)
maxillary division of trigeminal nerve (V2)
Foramen ovale (sphenoid)
mandibular division of trigeminal nerve (V3)
lesser petrosal nerve
emissary veins
Foramen spinosum (sphenoid)
middle meningeal vessels
Jugular foramen
sigmoid sinus / internal jugular vein
inferior petrosal sinus / internal jugular vein
glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
vagus nerve (CN X)
spinal accessory nerve (CN XI exit)
Foramen magnum (occipital)
medulla oblongata
spinal accessory nerve (CN XI entry)
vertebral arteries
vertebral venous plexus
anterior/posterior spinal arteries
pia, arachnoid and meningeal dura
Foramen lacerum
emissary veins
autonomics for internal carotid artery
Pterygoid canal (sphenoid)
Vidian nerve
artery of pterygoid canal
Palatovaginal canal (palatine)
pharyngeal nerve (CN V2)and vessels
Petrotympanic fissure (temporal)
chorda tympani (CN VII)
Facial Canal (temporal)
greater petrosal nerve
Cribriform plate (ethmoid)
olfactory nerves (CN I)
ethmoid (ant/post) nerves (CN V1)
Internal acoustic meatus (temporal)
facial nerve (CN VII)
vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
labyrinthine artery
Foramen cecum (ethmoid)
emissary veins