Cranial Fossae

Zara Denisse Garcia Ella Carmela Chavez Mae Nen Vedeja Mardred Marcelo

Cranial Cavity
Definition: The inside view of cranium is known as cranial cavity. Contents of Cranial Cavity: The cranial cavity contains the brain, pineal and hypophysis cerebri, parts of the cranial and spinal nerves, blood vessels, meninges and cerebrospinal fluid.

Cranial Cavity
Bones That Make Up the Cranial Cavity: Cranial cavity is contained by the frontal, parietal, sphenoid, temporal and occipital bones, and in part the ethmoid, all lined by fibrous endocranium, external zone of dura mater and pericranium.

Cranial Cavity
Importance of Cranial Cavity: Cranial cavity forms the floor of brain, while the roof of brain is formed by skull cap or calvaria.

Cranial Cavity
Divisions of the Cranial Cavity: o Anterior Cranial Fossa which accommodates the anterior lobe of brain. o Middle Cranial Fossa, much wider than the anterior cranial fossa contain the 2 temporal lobes of brain. o Posterior Cranial Fossa is much shallower and wider than the middle cranial fossa and it accommodates the occipital lobes of the brain.

Cranial Cavity

Anterior Cranial Fossa

Boundaries: o Anteriorly and Laterally - frontal bone o Floor - formed by orbital plate of frontal bone, ethmiod cribriform plate , anterior border of sphenoids lesser wings and anterior part of the body. o Posteriorly - posterior border of lesser wing, anterior clinoid process and chiasmatic sulcus of sphenoid.

Anterior Cranial Fossa

Ethmoid: o Ethmoid is present in the centre of cranial fossa and it forms part of its floor. o Structures: Crista Galli - It is a sharp upward projection of ethmoid bone in the midline, for the attachment of falx cerebri.

Anterior Cranial Fossa

o Structures: Cribriform Plate - this is the perforated part of the ethmoid. The upper surface of the cribriform plate supports the olfactory bulbs, and the small perforations in the cribriform plate are for the olfactory nerves.

Anterior Cranial Fossa

Frontal: o Structures: Foramen Cecum - between the Crista Galli and the crest of the frontal bone is small aperture, the foramen cecum. In 85 % of the subjects, it is closed. While in 15% subjects, it is patent or open for the passage of the vein of nose which drains into the superior sagittal sinus.

Foramen Cecum Cribriform Plate Crista Galli

Middle Cranial Fossa

Boundaries: o Anteriorly - by the posterior border of the lesser wings of sphenoid, anterior clinoid processes and sulcus chiasmaticus. o Posteriorly - by the superior borders of Petrous Part of Temporal and Sphenoids Dorsum Sella.

Middle Cranial Fossa

o Laterally - by the Squamous Part of Temporal and some part of the Parietal and Greater Wings of Sphenoid. o Floor the floor of the lateral part is formed by the Greater Wings of Sphenoid and Petrous and Squamous Parts of the Temporal bone. In the center, the floor is formed by the Sella Turcica of the body of the Sphenoid.

Middle Cranial Fossa

Structures: o Sella Turcica - a saddle-shaped depression in the Sphenoid Bone of the Human Skull. Literally, Turkish Saddle.

Sella Tucica

Middle Cranial Fossa

o Sella Turcica Hypophyseal Fossa seat of the saddle which holds the pituitary gland; located in a depression in the body of the Sphenoid Bone. Tuberculum Sella elevation in the body of the sphenoid that divides the hypophysial fossa from the sulcus chiasmatis.

Middle Cranial Fossa

o Sella Turcica Dorsum Sella - a square-shaped plate of bone that forms the posterior boundary of the Sphenoid bone; gives rise to two tubercles, the Posterior Clinoid Processes.

Hypophyseal Fossa
Tuberculum Sella Dorsum Sella Post. Clinoid Process

Middle Cranial Fossa

o Orbital Foramen transmits the Optic nerve, Ophthalmic Artery, Sympathetic fibers from carotid plexus. o Sup. Orbital Fissure - superior and inferior divisions of oculomotor n. (III), Trochlear n. (IV), lacrimal, frontal and nasociliary branches of opthalmic n., Abducens n. (VI), superior and inferior divisions of opthalmic vein. Sympathetic fibers from cavernous plexus

Orbital Foramen Sup. Orbital Fissure

Middle Cranial Fossa

o Foramen Rotundum Gives passage to the maxillary nerve. o Foramen Ovale - It transmits the mandibular nerve, emissary veins, lesser petrosal nerve and accessory meningeal vein.

Foramen Rotundum
Foramen Ovale

Middle Cranial Fossa

o Foramen Spinosum Gives passage to the main trunk of the middle meningeal artery, the nervus spinosus (a branch of the mandibular n. of the trigeminal n.), and the posterior trunk of the middle meningeal vein.

Middle Cranial Fossa

o Foramen Vesalii aka sphenoidal emissary foramen; may or may not be present in varying individuals; gives passage to a small vein (vein of Vesalius) that connects the pterygoid plexus with the cavernous sinus.

Foramen Spinosum
Foramen Versalii

Middle Cranial Fossa

o Foramen Lacerum transmits the ff: Internal carotid artery with its sympathetic nervous and venous plexus Carotid sinus Emissary veins Nerve to pterygoid canal (contains deep petrosal nerve and greater petrosal nerve)

Foramen Lacerum

Posterior Cranial Fossa

Boundaries: o Anteriorly - by the superior border of the petrous part of temporal bone and dorsum sallae. o Posteriorly - enclosed by the occipital bone. o Floor - by occipital bone. Foramen magnum forms the central part of the floor.

Posterior Cranial Fossa

Structures: o Foramen Magnum - The most conspicuous, large opening in the floor of the fossa. It transmits the medulla, the ascending portions of the Spinal Accessory Nerve (XI), and the vertebral arteries. o Hypoglossal Canal - Is situated above the anterolateral boundary of the foramen magnum and transmits the hypoglossal nerve, and emissary veins.

Foramen Magnum

Posterior Cranial Fossa

o Jugular Foramen - generally larger on the right than on the left side; transmits 9th, 10th, and 11th cranial nerves and the inferior petrosal sinus plus sigmoid sinus. o Internal Acoustic Meatus - pierces the posterior surface of the petrous part of temporal bone and transmits the vestibulocochlear nerve and facial nerve.

Posterior Cranial Fossa

o Clivus - It is slope formed by the basilar part of the occipital bone and posterior part of the sphenoid bone.

Jugular Foramen Internal Acoustic Meatus Clivus