The Skull

The skull
AN 101
Skull
• Is made up of 22 bones excluding the ossicles of the ear.
• All skull bones are attached to each other by sutures except the
mandible.
• Skull bones are immobile and form the cranium.
• The cranium is subdivided into the upper domed part called the
calvaria, the base that form the floor of the cranial cavity and the
lower anterior part called the facial skeleton also known as the
viscerocranium.
The skull
• The calvaria is made up of 14 bones including the ossicles namely:-
Paired:- parietal, temporal, malleus, incus and stapes.
Unpaired:- frontal, occipital, sphenoid and ethmoid.
• The bones of the facial skeleton include:-
Maxilla, zygomatic, nasal, lacrimal, palatine and inferior nasal concha.
Unpaired:- mandible and vomer.
Frontal bone
• Forms the superior part of the rim of
each orbit.
• Superior to the rim of the orbit are the
superciliary arches.
• Between these arches is a small
depression called the glabella.
• Supra-orbital foramen is visible in the
medial part of the superior rim of each
orbit.
• The zygomatic process projects
inferiorly forming the upper lateral rim
of the orbit.
Zygomatic and nasal bones
• The zygomatic bone forms the
lateral part of the orbit.
• The nasal bones articulates with
the frontal bone at the nasion.
• Nasal crest form the lower part
of the of the bony nasal septum
ending anteriorly as anterior
nasal spines.
Maxillae
• Forms the upper jaw of the
mouth.
• It contributes to the formation
of lower part of the bony orbit.
• Laterally it articulates with the
zygomatic bone through its
zygomatic process
• Infra-orbital foramen is located
on the anterior surface of the
body of the maxilla.
Mandible
• Is also known as the lower jaw
and it s the most inferior structure
in the anterior view of the skull.
• It consist of the body, the angle
and the ramus.
• It has the alveolar part that
contains the teeth.
• The mental foramen is located on
the lateral sides of the mental
protuberance.
Temporal bone
• Is the major contributor to the lower
portion of the lateral wall of the
cranium.
• Consist of the following parts:-
Squamous part
Zygomatic process
Tympanic part
Petrous part
• Note the following structures
Mastoid process
Styloid process
Vomer
• Is a single bone located in the
midline resting on the sphenoid
bone.
• It contributes to the formation
of the bony nasal septum
separating the two choanae.
Sphenoid
• Is made up of centrally placed
body and paired greater and
lesser wings projecting laterally
from the body.
• The pterygoid processes projects
downwards lateral to each
choanae
Occipital bone
• Is the major bony element of
this part of the base of the skull
• It has the following parts
namely:-
• Lateral part- lateral to the
foramen magnum
• Squamous part
• Basilar part
Cranial cavity
• Is the space within the cranium
that contains the brain
• Other structures in the cranial
cavity include:-
• Meninges, proximal part of the
cranial nerves, blood vessels and
cranial venous sinuses
The roof
• The calvaria is dome shaped roof
that protects the superior aspect
of the brain.
• It consist of mainly the frontal
bone anteriorly, the parietal
bones in the middle and occipital
posteriorly.
• Sutures visible internally include
the coronal, sagittal and
lambdoid sutures.
The floor of the cranial cavity
• Is divide into anterior, middle
and posterior cranial fossae
• Parts of the frontal, ethmoid and
sphenoid bones form the
anterior cranial fossae.
• The foramen cecum and the
cribriform plate are observed in
the anterior cranial fossae
• The crista gali is appoint of
attachment for the falx cerebri,
Middle cranial fossa
• Is made of parts of the sphenoid
and the temporal bones.
• The following structures are
observed in the middle cranial
fossae:-
Sella turcica, clinoid processes
and fissures and foramina.
Fissures and foramina of the middle cranial
fossae
• The following fissures and
foramina are observed in the
middle cranial fossa.
• Superior and inferior orbital
fissure, foramen rotundum,
foramen ovale, foramen
spinosum, carotid canal,
foramen lacerum, trigeminal
impression, hiatus for the
greater petrosal nerve,
Posterior cranial fossae
• Is made of parts of the occipital and
temporal bones with some
contributions from the sphenoid and
parietal bones.
• The following structures are observed
in the posterior cranial fossae.
• The foramen magnum, groove for the
inferior petrosal sinus, internal
acoustic meatus, groove for the
sigmoid sinus, hypoglossal canal and
jugular tubercle
Meninges
• The brain and the spinal cord is surrounded
by three connective tissues called meninges
• These are:-
Dura matter
Arachnoid matter
Pia matter
• The cranial meninges are continuous with
and similar to the spinal meninges through
the foramen magnum with one important
distinction:- the cranial dura matter consist
of double layer and only one for the spinal
dura matter
Cranial dura matter
• Is a thick, tough outer covering
of the brain.
• It consist of the periosteal and
an inner meningeal layer.
• The two layers of the dura
separate from each other and
form unique types of structures
e.g the falx cerebri, tentorium
cerebelli, falx cerebelli and the
diaphragm sellae
Arterial supply to the meninges
Arterial supply to the dura matter
travel in the outer periosteal layer
of the dura and consist of :-
Anterior meningeal arteries
Middle meningeal arteries and
Posterior meningeal artery
Innervation of dura
• Is by small meningeal nerves
branches of three divisions of
the trigeminal nerves
• The vagus nerve and the first,
second and sometimes the third
cervical nerves
Arachnoid matter
• Is a thin, avascular membrane
that lines but is not adherent to
the inner surface of the dura
matter
• Unlike the Pia, the arachnoid
does not enter the grooves or
fissures of the brain except in
the longitudinal fissure between
the two cerebral hemispheres
Pia matter
• Is a thin delicate membrane that
closely invests the surface of the
brain
• It follows the contours of the
brain entering the grooves and
fissures on its surface.
Arrangement of meninges and spaces
• There is a unique arrangement of
meninges, coupled with real and
potential spaces within the
cranial cavity.
• A potential space is related to the
dura matter while a real space is
related to the arachnoid matter.
• These spaces include:-
The extradural space
Subarachnoid space
Arrangement of meninges and spaces
• The potential space between the
dura matter and the bone is the
extradural space
• The subarachnoid space is the
only normally occurring fluid
filled space associated with the
meninges.
• The cerebrospinal fluid is
occupied by the subarachnoid
space.

The Skull

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The skull

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