GENERAL ANATOMY 2
(THE CRANIAL BONES)
● There are 22 skull bones
● 8 are cranial bones
● 14 are facial bones
● Cranial bones: frontal, parietal 2,
temporal 2, occipital, ethmoid and
sphenoid
● Ethmoid bone can be seen in internal
aspect of Basalis Interna
● Facial bone is a scale-like structure
● Two parts of facial bone: squama
and orbital
● The squama is the forehead
● Associated with the eye is the orbital
● The squamous portion of the frontal
bone has an external and internal
aspect
FRONTAL BONE
(EXTERNAL ASPECT, Squamous)
● Frontal Eminence is a rounded
eminence in the middle aspect of the
forehead, external aspect of the
squamous portion
● In men, it is more angular and in
female, it is more ovoid
● Supraorbital foramen – below frontal
eminence; sometimes mixes with a
notch called supraorbital notch
● Brow ridge – also: superciliary arch;
located above the supraorbital
foramen; the muscle attached to it is
the corrugator supercilli
● Above the corrugator supercili is the
eybrow
● Glabella is between the two
superciliary arches; flat triangular
surface between the brow ridge;
houses the frontal sinus
● Temporal line – anterior end part can
be seen at the frontal bone, external
aspect; where temporalis muscle is
attached
● Zygomatic process – articulates with
the zymogatic bone or cheekbone;
process arising from the frontal
bone; also contains the frontal
process; both zygomatic and frontal
processes form a suture called
zygomaticofrontal or
frontozygomatic suture
● Supraorbital margin – horizontal part
of frontal bone or an orbital process;
● Orbital plate
QUESTIONS:
1. What do you call the
foramen that conveys
supraorbital nerves,
arteries and veins?
(Supraorbital foramen)
2. Where can you find
supraorbital foramen?
(Above the Supraorbital
margin)
3. What do you call the
smooth elevated area
between Superciliary
arches? (Glabella)
(EXTERNAL, Superior view)
● SUTURA SERRATA – Coronal
suture or frontoparietal suture; suture
between frontal and parietal bones; a
true suture because it forms an
articulation; articulating surfaces
look like teeth of fine saw
(INTERNAL ASPECT)
● Superior longitudinal groove – or
great longitudinal groove; linear
groove that starts from the frontal
bone up to the parietal bone,
 GENERAL ANATOMY 2
(THE CRANIAL BONES)
terminates to the Cruciate eminence
of the occipital bone; where
longitudinal fissure is located
● Orbital process – horizontal
boundary
● Frontal Crest – below the
longitudinal groove; sharp elevation
● Foramen Cecum – below Frontal
crest
● Frontoethmoidal suture –an
articulation between ethmoid and
frontal bone; located interiorly
PARIETAL BONE
● Two in number
● Sutura Dentata – suture between two
parietal bones; intersagittal or
interparietal suture; articulating
surfaces are tooth-like; also a true
suture
● Two surfaces: External and Internal
NOTE: The flat bones of the cranial bones
(located in the skull) are called
Diploe which are two thin plates of
compact bone with spongy bone in
between.
● Vertex – highest point of the skull;
sometimes located on the anterior
parietal, sometimes at the middle
lower parietal
(EXTERNAL ASPECT)
● Parietal tuber – tuberosity of the
parietal bone
● Parietal foramen – where emissary
vein passes through
● Temporal lines – superior and
inferior; origin of temporalis muscles
● Bregma – junction of sutura serrata
and sutura dentata; in fetal life, it is
called the anterior fontanelle;
diamond shaped that closes at 18th
month, but still remains as a
cartilage. Upon closure of the
fontanelle, it is then called bregma.
● Lambdoidal suture – suture between
parietal and occipital bones; contains
structure such as:
Wormian bone – or sutural bone; can only
be located at lambdoidal suture
● Lambda – junction between parietal
and occipital bone; in fetal life, it is
called the posterior fontanelle which
closes at 4th month; triangular
structure
NOTE: Fontanelles overlap for easier child
delivery at the opening of the cervix
(INTERNAL ASPECT)
● Pacchonian granulations –
concavities; inside it is the
pacchonian villi which is opposite of
the function of the Choroid Plexus, it
absorbs the excess CSF.
● Groove for Middle Meningeal Artery
– root like structures
OCCIPITAL BONE
● Also has squamous portion which is
scale-like
● Has two parts: Squamous and basilar
(EXTERNAL ASPECT, Squamous)
 GENERAL ANATOMY 2
(THE CRANIAL BONES)
● Occipital plate – the squamous part
● External Occipital Protuberance –
also called INION; middle part;
between two superior nuchal lines
● Highest or Supreme nuchal line –
above the Inion
● Superior nuchal line – along the
Inion
● Inferior nuchal line – below Inion
● The muscles originating from this
aspect are: trapezius muscle which
originates from superior nuchal line,
Inion and external occipital crest
down to the spinal process of the c7;
also where some muscles of the neck
at the back originate
● External Occipital Crest – elevation
extending from the Inion to the
Foramen magnum
● Foramen Magnum
● Occipital Condyle – at the side of the
foramen magnum; articulates with
the superior articular process of the
Atlas forming Atlanto-occipital joint
● Between Atlas and Axis is the
atlantoaxis joint; formed between the
fossa or facet of atlas at the anterior
part and dens or odontoid process of
axis; a pivot joint for “NO”
● Condylar fossa – at the back of the
occipital condyle
● Hypoglossal canal – at the front or
anterior aspect of the condylar fossa;
located anterolaterally in relation to
foramen magnum, and anteromedial
to occipital condyle
(EXTERNAL ASPECT, Basilar)
● Pharyngeal tubercle – at the
middlemost part of the external
aspect of the basilar portion of the
occipital bone
(INTERNAL ASPECT, Squama)
● Groove for superior sagittal sinus –
Continuation of the groove; starts from
the frontal bone to the parietal bone
down to the occipital bone
● Groove for transverse sinus –
branching at the middle part of the
squamous portion of the occipital
bone, at the side of Inion
● Groove for sigmoid sinus –will form
S-shape along with the petrous
temporal because the transverse
groove cannot penetrate pet.
temporal; opening at the jugular
foramen (which is located between
the petrous temporal and occipital
bone)
● Internal Occipital Crest
● CRUCIATE EMINENCE: Groove
for superior sagittal sinus, two
grooves for transverse sinus and
internal occipital crest; creates 4
fossae:
● Cerebral fossa – where occipital lobe
and cerebrum is located; upper part
● Cerebellar fossa – where cerebellum
is located; bigger, lower part
● Jugular process
(INTERNAL ASPECT, Basilar)
● Hypoglossal canal
● Condylar canal
QUESTIONS:
1. What do you call the fracture
involving the C1? (Jefferson
fracture)
 GENERAL ANATOMY 2
(THE CRANIAL BONES)
2. Fracture of C2? (Hangman’s
fracture)
3. Distinguishing features of a
cervical vertebra? (presence of
transverse foramina)
4. In thoracic vertebra? (costal pit
and demifacet for articulation of
the ribs)
5. In lumbar vertebra? (accessory
and mamiliary process)
6. Part of cervical vertebra that
serves as passageway for
vertebral artery (transverse
foramina)
7. What is vertebral artery?
8. What is Circle of Willis?
(collateral distribution of blood
in the brain)
TEMPORAL BONE
● 4 processes:
1. Squama –
2. Tympanic
3. Mastoid
4. Petrous
(EXTERNAL PART)
● Temporal line – on top of squamous
portion; superior and inferior
temporal lines are part of parietal
bone
● Parieto-temporal suture – suture
between parietal and temporal bones;
surfaces are beveled and
overlapping; a false suture; also
called as sutura harmonia
● Groove for middle temporal artery
(EXTERNAL, TYMPANIC
PORTION)
● Zygomatic process of the temporal
bone – articulates with temporal
process of the zygomatic bone
forming the zygomatic arch
● Zygomatic arch – divides the
temporal fossa: upper temporal fossa
and lower temporal fossa
● Mandibular fossa – also: temporal
fossa where the muscles and the
nerves to the oral cavity are located;
where the condyle of the mandible
articulates forming the 1.) diarthrosis
joint and 2.) temporomandibular
joint
● The mandible is capable of opening
and closing and moving anteriorly
and posteriorly
● Anterior tubercle – anterior to
mandibular fossa; prevents the
condyle from going anterior to the
zygomatic arch
NOTE: Opening of the jaw, the movement
of the condyle anterior to the anterior
tubercle forward may cause lock jaw
● Posterior tubercle – or the posterior
glenoid process
● Mandibular plate
● Tympanic membrane – or the
tympanic opening
● Vaginal process of the tympanic part
● Petrotympanic suture – suture
between the mandibular fossa and
the vaginal process of the tympanic
portion
● Styloid process
● Mastoid process
● Stylomastoid foramen – between
styloid and mastoid processes;
 GENERAL ANATOMY 2
(THE CRANIAL BONES)

related to the facial nerve branch of still open at the age of 21-27 years
the facial nerve old
● Mastoid foramen ● Processes:
● Mastoid tympanic fissure
1. Lesser wing
(INTERNAL ASPECT) 2. Greater wing
3. Pterygoid processes
● Internal acoustic meatus – facial 4. Body of the Sphenoid bone
nerve and vestibulocochlear nerves
exit (GREATER WING)
● Jugular foramen
● Petrous temporal – wedge; contains ● Foramen rotundum
labyrinth and cochlea, malleus, incus ● Foramen ovale
and stapes ● Foramen spinosum
● Arcuate eminence – flat area located ● Carotid foramen
at the middle 11cranial fossa ● Foramen lacerum – created by
● Groove for superior petrosal sinus – occipital bone, temporal bone and
on top of petrous temporal sphenoid bone; does not have any
● Groove for inferior petrosal sinus – function because it is filled with
below petrous temporal; follows the cartilage throughout life; lacerated;
shape of the basilar portion of the also called as virgin foramen; goes
occipital bone into the petrous
● Aqueduct of cochlea – minute
opening (LESSER WING)
● Carotid canal – on top of the wedge
● Optic canal
of petrous temporal; where the
● Anterior clinoid process – formed by
internal carotid and external carotid
the lesser wing terminating into the
arteries pass through
body of SB; passageway of optic
● Trigeminal impression – located at
canal
the basilar portion of the occipital
● Groove for optic chiasma – above
bone
the tuberculum sella

(BODY OF SB)
SPHENOID BONE
● Sella turcica – circular fossa;
● Bat-shaped bone contains hypophysis or pituitary
gland; boundaries are:
● At the middle cranial fossa
● Spheno-occipital suture- articulation
● Tuberculum Sella - anterior
between the sphenoid and occipital
● Dorsum Sella – posterior
bone; provides the length of the
● Posterior clinoid process
cranium; synchondrosis articulation;
last suture to develop into a bone;
 GENERAL ANATOMY 2
(THE CRANIAL BONES)
● Sphenoidal sinus – located at the
body of SB
(PTERYGOID PROCESS)
● It has two plates: internal or the
middle plate and the external plate or
lateral
● The lateral pterygoid plate which has
medial and lateral surfaces is more
important because this is where the
two muscles of mastication
originates:
1. Lateral pterygoid – originates
from the lateral surface of the
lateral pterygoid process of SB
2. Medial pterygoid muscle –
originates from the medial
surface of the lateral pterygoid
process and spina angularis of
SB
● Scaphoid fossa – between lateral
pterygoid and medial pterygoid plate
● Spina Angularis
QUESTIONS:
1. Foramen of exit of maxillary
division of trigeminal nerve?
2. Where is Foramen rotundum?
3. What foramen is inferior to
foramen rotundum?
ETHMOID BONE
● Processes:
1. Lateral mass
2. Cribriform plate
3. Perpendicular plate
(LATERAL MASS)
● Wall of the internal nose
● Ethmoidal labyrinth – hollow
portions; related to ethmoidal
sinuses: anterior, middle and
posterior
● Middle nasal concha
● Superior nasal concha
(PERPENDICULAR PLATE OF EB)
● It forms the nasal septum which is
the medial wall of the nose; bone
aspect (the soft aspect is the nasal
cartilage)
● Crista galli – an extension of
perpendicular plate of EB at the
anterior cranial fossa; sharp,
upstanding ridge; serves as the
attachment of falx cerebri
(extensions of dura mater)
(CRIBRIFORM PLATE OF EB)
● Related to the olfactory nerve
● Anterior cranial fossa, lateral to
crista galli, roof of the internal nose
NOTE: Sphenoid and ethmoid forms
spheno-ethmoidal synchondrosis;
provides length of the internal base
of cranium together with spheno-
occipital synchondrosis
Between the two sphenoid bone, there is an
intersphenoidal synchnodrosis;
provides the width
of the cranium