Head and neck
Bones of the skull part 1
Lecture 1
شروق عبد اهلل إقنيبي
المصدر :كالم الدكتور محمد تالحمة في المحاضرة
إن أخطأت فمني وإن أصبت فمن اهلل ،إذا لقيت مني خطأ صححني ونبهني ،
ولو إستفدت ،لو سمحت إدعيلي
First of all, it is more accurate to say cranium rather than skull.
-What is the normal position of the cranium?
Well, for the cranium to be in its normal position, both the inferior orbital margin and
the superior portion of the external acoustic meatus have to lie in the same horizontal
plane. This horizontal plane is called Frankfort (orbitomeatal) plan or line.
Parts of the skull:
1)Viscerocranium (fascial skeleton): contains face organs, and is composed of 14
bones.
2)Neurocranium: contains the brain, and is composed of 8 bones.
3)Associated bones: the auditory ossicles and the hyoid bone.
The auditory ossicles:
The auditory ossicles are located in the middle ear.
1)the malleus, or hammer.
2)the incus, or anvil.
3)the stapes, or stirrup.
Bones of the neurocranium:
1) 1 ethmoid bone. 2) 1 frontal bone. 3) 1 occipital bone. 4) 2 parietal bones
5) 1 sphenoid bone. 6) 2 temporal bone.
Although the majority of the ethmoid bone is in the fascial skeleton, we consider it as a
part of the neurocranium. Any bone that has a part of it in the neurocranium (even if
this part is very small), we consider the bone as a part of the neurocranium.
Bones of the viscerocranium:
1) 1 vomer. 2) 2 inferior nasal conchae. 3) 2 nasal bones. 4) 2 lacrimal bones.
5) 2 maxillae. 6) 2 palatine bones. 7) 1 mandible. 8) 2 zygomatic bones.
Please, keep in mind that the inferior nasal concha is a separate bone, while the
superior nasal concha is a part of the ethmoid bone.
Is the space within the cranium that contains
the brain, meninges, proximal parts of cranial
nerves, blood vessels, and cranial venous
sinuses.
→The cranial cavity has:
1. Anterior cranial fossa (the shallowest).
2. Middle cranial fossa.
3. Posterior cranial fossa (the deepest).
1. Plane suture.
2. Denticulate suture (strongest).
3. Serrate suture (weakest).
4. Squamous suture.
5. Schindylesis.
The roof/cover of the cranium, also called skullcap.
Bones forming the calvaria are:
1) The two parietal bones.
2) Small portion of the frontal bone.
3) Very small portion of the occipital bone.
Anatomical features of the calvaria:
1) Superior sagittal groove: for dural venous sinuses.
2) Meningeal grooves: for meningeal arteries.
3) Granular foveolae.
Note: the middle meningeal artery supplies the dura mater.
The frontal bone is the most superior anterior bone. It has four surfaces:
1) External (frontal) surface.
2) Internal (cerebral) surface.
3) Two lateral (temporal) surfaces.
4) Orbital surface.
And four parts:
1) Squamous (flat) part.
2) Nasal part.
3) 2 Orbital parts, thin and triangular in shape.
Embryonically, the frontal bone is two separate bones, after fusion they leave a landmark
called glabella.
1) Supraorbital margin.
→ it has the supraorbital notch or foramen.
→ it has frontal notch or foramen, which is situated medially to the supraorbital foramen for
the supratrochlear artery and the medial branch of the supraorbital nerve.
2) Coronal or parietal margin.
3) Frontal crest.
This crest splits and makes the superior sagital groove.
Is the point of attachment for the falx cerebri (a specialization of the dura matar thar partially
separates the two cerebral hemispheres).
4) Digitate impressions.
They are formed by the presense of the gyri of the cerebrum.
5) Ethmoidal notch.
Located between the two orbital surfaces.
6) Frontal sinuses.
7) Lacrimal fossa for lacrimal gland.
8) Trochlear fovea (fovea trochlearis)
9) Trochlear spine (spina trochlearis)
10) Frontal eminence.
11) Zygomatic process of frontal bone.
12) Maxillary process of frontal bone.
13) Superior and inferior temporal lines.
The superior temporal line gives attachment for the facia of the temporal muscle, while the
inferior temporal line gives attachment for the temporal muscle fibers.
The parietal bone is almost quadrangular so, it has four margins:
Sagittal (parietal) margin.
Squamous (temporal) margin.
Frontal margin.
Occipital (lambdoid) margin.
Four angles:
Frontal angle (anterosuperior).
Sphenoid angle (anteroinferior).
Mastoid angle (posteroinferior).
Occipital angle (posterosuperior).
And two surfaces:
External surface.
Internal (cerebral) surface.
The parietal foramen is for the
passage of the emissary vein.
Is the most posteroinferior bone.
Parts:
1) Squamous part.
Landmarks:
-superior nuchal line.
-inferior nuchal line.
-mempin (highest) nuchal line.
-external occipital crest.
-jugular notch/foramen: for the passage of three cranial nerves (glossopharyngeal,
vagus, accessory nerves) and the internal jugular vein.
-occipital condyles.
-condylar fossa (condylar canal).
-jugular spine/process.
-parietal (lambdoid) margin.
2) 2 Lateral (condylar) parts.
3) Basilar part.
The internal surface is very smooth, we call it the clivus and it has:
-internal occipital protuberance.
-internal occipital crest.
-cerebellar fossa.
-transverse groove (sinus).
-hypoglossal canals.
The external surface is not smooth and it has:
-pharyngeal tubercle.
.. كري َم النظر،ِف السّماع َ شري،ف اخلطى
َ كن يف الطري ِق عفي
. يقولون مرَّ و هذا األثر،و كُن شخصًا إن أتوْا بعده
