Base of skull
| Skull base | |
|---|---|
 Base of the skull, inner surface | |
 Base of the skull, inferior or outer surface. Showing various muscle attachments. | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | basis cranii externa et. interna |
| MeSH | D019291 |
| TA98 | A02.1.00.044 |
| TA2 | 447 |
| FMA | 52801 |
| Anatomical terms of bone | |
The base of skull, also known as the cranial base or the cranial floor, is the most inferior area of the skull. It is composed of the endocranium and the lower parts of the skull roof.
Structure[]
Base of the skull. Inferior surface, marked in red.
Structures found at the base of the skull are for example:
Bones[]
There are five bones that make up the base of the skull:
Exobasis
Sinuses[]
Foramina of the skull[]
- Foramen cecum
- Optic foramen
- Foramen lacerum
- Foramen rotundum
- Foramen magnum
- Foramen ovale
- Jugular foramen
- Internal auditory meatus
- Mastoid foramen
- Sphenoidal emissary foramen
- Foramen spinosum
Endobasis-resistances beams
Endobasis-resistances nodes
Sutures[]
- Frontoethmoidal suture
- Sphenofrontal suture
- Sphenopetrosal suture
- Sphenoethmoidal suture
- Petrosquamous suture
- Sphenosquamosal suture
Other[]
The foramina in the base of the skull are exit and entry points for veins, arteries and cranial nerves.
The cranial nerves as they exit through various foramina.
- Sphenoidal lingula
- Subarcuate fossa
- Dorsum sellae
- Jugular process
- Petro-occipital fissure
- Condylar canal
- Jugular tubercle
- Tuberculum sellae
- Carotid groove
- Fossa hypophyseos
- Posterior clinoid processes
- Sigmoid sulcus
- Internal occipital protuberance
- Internal occipital crest
- Ethmoidal spine
- Vestibular aqueduct
- Chiasmatic groove
- Middle clinoid process
- Groove for sigmoid sinus
- Trigeminal ganglion
- Middle cranial fossa
- Anterior cranial fossa
- Middle meningeal artery
- Cribriform plate
- Posterior cranial fossa
- Nasociliary nerve
- Hypoglossal canal
Additional images[]
Base of the skull. Upper surface
Base of skull
Base of skull - crista galli, cribriform plate and foramen cecum
Base of skull - sella turcica
The anterior, middle and posterior cranial fossa in different colors
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Categories:
- Skull