Cranial Cavity

Question 1

What lies in the hypophysial fossa?

Answer 1

Pituitary Gland

Question 2

What two structures lie anterior and posterior to the pituitary gland?

Answer 2

anterior - Tuberculum sellae

posterior - dorsum sellae

Question 3

What lies in the sella turcica?

Answer 3

Pituitary Gland

Question 4

What layers would a needle penetrate if pressed into the scalp until it hit the parietal bone?

Answer 4

5 layers:

Skin -> dense CT -> aponeurotic layer -> Loose CT –> pericranium

Question 5

What layer of the scalp does the occiptofrontalis muscle attach to?

Answer 5

Aponeurotic layer

Question 6

What layer of the scalp contains the arteries, veins and nerves that supply the scalp?

Answer 6

Dense connective tissue layer

Question 7

What meningeal layer contains the meningeal arteries that supply the meninges?

Answer 7

The periosteal layer of the dura mater.

Question 8

What innervates the meninges?

Answer 8

Meningeal branches of the trigeminal nerve and 1st-3rd cervical nerves.

Question 9

Which dural partition runs longitudinally and separates the two hemispheres?

Answer 9

Falx cerebri

Question 10

Which dural partition runs horizontally and separates the cerebellum from the cerebral hemispheres?

Answer 10

tentorium cerebelli

Question 11

Which dural partition covers the hypophysial fossa?

Answer 11

diaphram sellae

Question 12

What structures pass through the foramina of the cribiform plate?

Answer 12

CN I (olfactory)

Question 13

What structures pass through the optic canal?

Answer 13

CN II (optic)
Opthalmic artery

Question 14

What structures pass through the superior orbital fissure?

Answer 14

opthalmic veins
CN III (oculomotor)
CN IV (trochlear)
CN V1 (opthalmic branch of trigeminal)
CN VI (abducens)

Question 15

What structures pass through the foramen rotundum?

Answer 15

CN V2 (maxillary branch of trigeminal)

Question 16

What structures pass through the foramen ovale?

Answer 16

CN V3 (Mandibular brand of trigeminal)
Accessory meningeal artery

Question 17

What structures pass through the carotid canal

Answer 17

Internal carotid artery

Internal carotid nerve plexus (sympathetic)

Question 18

What structures pass through the groove/hiatus of the facial canal?

Answer 18

greater petrosal n. (CN VII facial)

Question 19

What structures pass through the internal auditory meatus?

Answer 19

internal auditory vessels
CN VII (facial)
CN VIII (vestibulocochlear)

Question 20

What structures pass through the jugular foramen?

Answer 20

Internal jugular vein
CN IX (glossopharyngeal)
CN X (Vagus)
CN XI (accessory)

Question 21

What structures pass through the hypoglassal canal?

Answer 21

CN XII (hypoglossal)
Emissary Vein

Question 22

What structures pass through the foramen magnum?

Answer 22

vertebral arteries
CN XI (accessory)
Caudal brainstem/spinal cord
anterior and posterior spinal arteries

Question 23

What structures pass through the Condyloid canal?

Answer 23

emissary vein

Question 24

What are the veins that course through the spongy bone of the skull called?

Answer 24

diploic veins (they drain into the dural sinuses, just like the emissary veins)

Question 25

What two layers separate to form the dural sinuses?

Answer 25

Inner meningeal layer and outer periosteal layer

Question 26

Which dural sinus is blood from a diploic vein near the bregma likely to drain into?

Answer 26

bregma is the junction of the coronal suture and saggital suture. The superior sagittal sinus runs directly deep to it along the median of the skull.

Question 27

What two dural partitions join to form the straight sinus?

Answer 27

Falx cerebri and tentorium cerebelli

Question 28

Trace the most direct pathway of blood in the straight sinus out to through the internal jugular vein?

Answer 28

Straight sinus-->confluence of sinuses-->transverse sinus-->sigmoid sinus-->internal jugular vein (which passes through the jugular foramen)

Question 29

Which sinus forms a loop around the pituitary gland?

Answer 29

intercavernous sinus

Question 30

What are the two routes of blood flow leaving the cavernous sinus posteriorly?

Answer 30

superior petrosal sinus (which meets up with the transverse and sigmoid sinus) inferior petrosal sinus (which dumps into internal jugular vein)

Question 31

Which sinus lies along the inferior border of the falx cerebri?

Answer 31

inferior sagittal sinus

Question 32

What does the inferior sagittal sinus drain into?

Answer 32

the straight sinus-->transverse sinus-->sigmoid-->internal jugular vein.

Question 33

What is the middle meningeal artery a branch of?

Answer 33

Maxillary artery which is a branch of the external carotid a.

Question 34

Cerebrospinal fluid is drawn from the spinal cord. The patient later reports headaches. What nerve is responsible for this pain sensation and what triggered it?

Answer 34

CS fluid is drained, the meninges in the brain 'sag' from lack of pressure and the branches of the trigeminal nerve signal pain

Question 35

If someone receives a blow to the pterion, what artery would be in danger of being ruptured?

Answer 35

middle meningeal artery

Question 36

How does CSF drain out of arachnoid space?

Answer 36

flows into arachnoid vili, which protrude into dural sinuses

Question 37

Between which two layers will blood collect in an external hematoma?

Answer 37

skull and periosteal dura (even though periosteal dura is tightly bound to skull, it will push away)

Question 38

Between which two layers will blood collect in an subdural hematoma?

Answer 38

dura and arachnoid (can occur without any sort of skull fracture)

Question 39

Where will blood collect in an subarachnoid hematoma?

Answer 39

subarachnoid space

Question 40

What structures lie on lateral wall of cavernous sinus?

Answer 40

``` CN III (oculomotor) CN IV (trochlear) CN V1 & V2 (trigeminal) CN VI (abducent) ```

Question 41

What artery passes through the cavernous sinus?

Answer 41

internal carotid artery (enters then loops back so technically passes twice)

Question 42

How do the vertebral arteries enter the skull?

Answer 42

the foramen magnum

Question 43

How do the internal carotid arteries enter the skull?

Answer 43

right and left carotid canals.

Question 44

How does the middle meningeal artery enter the skull?

Answer 44

foramen spinosum

Question 45

How do sympathetic nerves enter the skull?

Answer 45

They follow the internal carotid a. through the carotid canal.

Question 46

What two foramens does CN XI pass through?

Answer 46

Enters skull through foramen magnum, exits through the jugular foramen