Cranial cavity Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 3 cranial fossae ?

A
  • anterior cranial fossa
  • middle cranial fossa
  • posterior cranial fossa
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2
Q

Describe the bones and contents of the anterior cranial fossa

A
  • smallest and shallowest cranial fossa
  • made up of the frontal bone, ethmoid bone and sphenoid bone
  • contains the frontal lobe of the brain
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3
Q

Describe the bones and contents of the middle cranial fossa

A
  • made up of the sphenoid bone and temporal bone
  • contains the temporal lobe and pituitary gland
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4
Q

Describe the bones and contents of the posterior cranial fossa

A
  • it is the deepest and largest fossa
  • made up of the occipital bone and a little bit of the sphenoid and temporal bone
  • contains the cerebellum and brainstem
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5
Q

What are the 3 meninges of the brain ?

A
  • the meninges are the surrounding layers of the brain
  • outermost layer = dura mater
  • middle layer = arachnoid mater
  • innermost layer = pia mater
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6
Q

Describe the dura mater of the brain

A
  • tough parchment like
  • double layer : inner meningeal layer and outer periosteal layer
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7
Q

Describe the arachnoid mater of the brain

A
  • very thin
  • avascular
  • lies above the subarachnoid space which contains the cerebrospinal fluid
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8
Q

Describe the pia mater of the brain

A
  • thin
  • adherent to the brain surface
  • enters the contours on the surface of the brain
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9
Q

What is the difference between the dura mater of the of the brain and the spinal cord ?

A
  • the cranial dura mater has 2 layers whereas the spinal dura mater has 1 layer
  • the meningeal layer of the cranial dura mater descends down to the vertebra and becomes spinal dura mater
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10
Q

What forms when the 2 layers of the cranial dura separate ?

A
  • dural venous sinuses
  • dural partitions
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11
Q

What is a dural venous sinus ?

A
  • the space between the 2 layers of cranial dura mater when they separate
  • filled with venous blood
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12
Q

What is a dural partition ?

A

When the meningeal layer of the dura mater invaginates between regions of the brain

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13
Q

What happens of damage occurs to the middle meningeal artery ?

A
  • the middle meningeal artery lies deep to the pterion
  • if the artery is damaged then an extradural haematoma will occur
  • this is when blood fills between the skull periosteum and dura mater
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14
Q

List the dural partitions

A
  • falx cerebri
  • tentorium cerebelli
  • falx cerebelli
  • tentorial notch
  • diaphragma sellae
  • infundibulum of hypophysis cerebri
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15
Q

What is the diaphragma sellae ?

A

It is a sheet of dura mater that forms the roof of the pituitary fossa

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16
Q

Describe the position of the falx cereberi

A
  • it is sickle shaped
  • separates the right an left hemispheres of the cerebrum
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17
Q

Describe the position of the tentorium cerebelli

A
  • lies transversely
  • superior to the cerebellum
  • lies between the occipital lobe and cerebellum
18
Q

Describe the position of the falx cerebelli

A
  • lies below the tentorium cerebelli
  • found between the left and right hemispheres of the cerebellum
19
Q

Describe the tentorial notch

A
  • it has a sharp edge
  • found on the medial margin of the tentorium cerebelli
20
Q

Describe the supply and drainage of the dural venous sinuses

A
  • dural venous sinuses receive blood from diploic veins and emissary veins
  • blood from the dural venous sinuses drain into the internal jugular veins
  • venous blood of the brain drains into dural venous sinuses
21
Q

What is meningitis ?

A

If infection is present in the dural venous sinuses this can lead to inflammation of the meninges - meningitis

22
Q

Describe the structure of the bone of the skull

A
  • flat bone
  • the outer and inner tables are made from compact bone
  • the area between the tables is bone marrow and spongy bones and it is known as diploe
23
Q

List the dural venous sinuses

A
  • superior sagittal sinus
  • inferior sagittal sinus
  • straight sinus
  • transverse sinus
  • sigmoid sinus
  • inferior petrosal sinus
  • superior petrosal sinus
  • cavernous sinus
  • sphenoparietal sinus
24
Q

What is the confluence of sinuses ?

A

The point at which the superior sagittal sinus, straight sinus and transverse sinus meets

25
Q

Describe the location of the superior sagittal sinus

A

It is found on the superior border of the falx cereberi

26
Q

Describe the location of the inferior sagittal sinus

A

It is found on the inferior border of the falx cereberi

27
Q

Describe the location of the straight sinus

A

It connects the inferior sagittal sinus and confluence of sinuses

28
Q

Where does the sigmoid sinus leave the cranial cavity ?

A

It leaves via the jugular foramen

29
Q

Describe the location of the superior petrosal sinus

A

It is found on the upper border of the petrous part of the temporal bone

30
Q

Describe the location of the cavernous sinus

A

It is found on the lateral border of the sellae turcica

31
Q

Describe the location of the sphenoparietal sinus

A

It is found along the edge of the lesser wing of the sphenoid bone

32
Q

What is the great cereberal vein ?

A
  • it unites with the inferior sagittal sinus to form the straight sinus
  • it drains venous blood from the brain
33
Q

What are arachnoid granulations ?

A

protrusions of the arachnoid mater which allow CSF to enter dural venous sinuses

34
Q

What are the trabeculae of the arachnoid mater ?

A

Delicate strands of connective tissue that connect the arachnoid mater and pia mater

35
Q

What is the subarachnoid space ?

A
  • filled with CSF
  • contains blood vessels
  • found beneath the arachnoid mater
36
Q

Which osteological feature of the occipital bone articulates with the superior articular facet of the atlas ?

A

occipital condyles

37
Q

What is the difference between a venous sinus and a normal vein ?

A
  • venous sinuses have no valves and are formed due to separations of the 2 layers of the dura mater
  • veins have valves
38
Q

Describe subdural haemorrhages

A
  • occur in the space between the dura and arachnoid mater
  • likely to have venous origin
39
Q

Describe subarachnoid haemorrhages

A
  • occurs in the subarachnoid space
  • usually due to a burst artery
40
Q

What is the anterior attachment of the falx cereberi ?

A

the crista galli

41
Q

What are the consequences of cavernous sinus thrombosis ?

A
  • it leads to decreased drainage from the facial vein and superior and inferior ophthalmic veins
  • this can result in facial and periorbital oedema, discomfort and pain with eye muscle movement and loss of vision