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 calvaria.
Skull base | |
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![]() 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 |
StructureEdit
Base of the skull. Inferior surface, attachment of muscles marked in red.
Structures found at the base of the skull are for example:
BonesEdit
There are five bones that make up the base of the skull:
SinusesEdit
Foramina of the skullEdit
- Foramen cecum
- Optic foramen
- Foramen lacerum
- Foramen rotundum
- Foramen magnum
- Foramen ovale
- Jugular foramen
- Internal auditory meatus
- Mastoid foramen
- Sphenoidal emissary foramen
- Foramen spinosum
SuturesEdit
- Frontoethmoidal suture
- Sphenofrontal suture
- Sphenopetrosal suture
- Sphenoethmoidal suture
- Petrosquamous suture
- Sphenosquamosal suture
OtherEdit
The foramina in the base of the skull are exit and entry points for veins, arteries and cranial nerves.
- 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 imagesEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cranial base. |