Cranial Cavity

Question 1

Cranial Fossae

Answer 1

• Anterior
• Middle
• Posterior

Question 2

Anterior Cranial Fossa (Bones, Landmarks)

Answer 2

• Bones
  
  • Frontal
  • Ethmoid
  • Sphenoid
• Landmarks
  
  • Falx Cerebri attaches to frontal crest and crista galli
  • Tentorium Cerebelli attaches to anterior clinoid process

Question 3

Foramina of Anterior Cranial Fossa and what structures pass through them

Answer 3

• Foramen Cecum - Emissary vein between superior sagittal sinus and nasal cavity
• Cribiform Palate - Olfactory Nerves (I)
• Optic Canal - Optic nerves (II) and Opthalmic arteries

Question 4

Middle Cranial Fossa

Answer 4

• Bones
  
  • Temporal
  • Sphenoid
• Organ
  
  • Temporal Lobe of brain
• Landmarks
  
  • Sella turcica in hypophoseal fossa containing pituitary gland

Question 5

Foramina of Middle Cranial Fossa and what structures pass through them

Answer 5

• Superior Orbital Fissure: III, IV, V1, VI, opthalmic veins
• Foramen rotundum: V2 (maxillary of trigeminal)
• Foramen Ovale: V3 (Mandibular of trigeminal)
• Foramen Spinosum: Middle meningeal artery
• Hiatus for greater petrosal nerve: Greater petrosal nerve (branch of VII)
• Hiatus for lesser petrosal nerve: Lesser petrosal nerve (branch of IX)

Question 6

Carotid Canal vs. Foramen Lacerum

Answer 6

• Foramen Lacerum
  
  • Nothing transmitted through
  • plugged in real life by cartilage
• Carotid Canal
  
  • passage of internal carotid artery

Question 7

Pituitary Gland (Hypophysis)

Answer 7

• SIts in sella turcica in hypophoseal fossa
• Infundibulum = stalk of pituitary

Question 8

Posterior Cranial Fossa

Answer 8

• Bones
  
  • Occipital
  • Temporal
• Organ
  
  • Cereballum
  • Brain stem
  • Occipital Lobe

Question 9

Foramina of Posterior Cranial Fossa and what passes through them

Answer 9

• Foramen Magnum - Brainstem/spinal cord, vertebral arteries, XI
• Internal acoustic meatus - VII, VIII, labyrinthine artery
• Jugular Foramen - IX, X, XI, inferior petrosal sinus, sigmoid sinus (turns into IJV)
• Hypoglossal canal - XII

Question 10

Cranial Nerves in Cranial Fossa

Answer 10

Question 11

Dural venous sinuses: What they do, what they accept, where they are, and where they go

Answer 11

• Function: Venous drainage of Brain
• Accept: Veins from Cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem
• Location: between periosteal and meningeal layers of dura mater
• Destination: IJV

Question 12

How is the Cranium Drained?

Answer 12

• Diploic Veins - run between internal and external tables of compact bone
  
  • Empty into dural venous sinouses
• Emissary Veins - travel from inside cranial cavity to outside
  
  • no valves
  • spread of infection

Question 13

Dural Venous Sinuses Picture

Answer 13

Question 14

Dural Venous Sinus picture - Superior view

Answer 14

Question 15

Flow of blood through dural venous sinuses to IJV

Answer 15

Question 16

What does superior saggital sinus also recieve ?

Answer 16

CSF

Question 17

What does Straight Sinus also recieve

Answer 17

Great Cerebral Vein

Question 18

Contents of Cavernous Sinus

Answer 18

• III
• IV
• V1
• V2
• VI
• Internal carotid artery