Floor of cranial cavity

Cranial fossae and sites of exit of cranial nerves, posterior view

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Image #50-2

Floor of cranial cavity

Cranial fossae and sites of exit of cranial nerves, posterior view

The dura mater has been stripped from the left half of the posterior fossa to open venous sinuses. Views of the atlantooccipital ligaments are to be found in 80-2 ff.

1. Upper pointer: Olfactory tract Lower pointer: Optic nerve (II)
2. Sella turcica
3. Left pointer: Venous sinus (unnamed) Middle pointer: Trochlear nerve (IV) Right pointer: Oculomotor nerve (III)
4. Upper pointer: Trigeminal nerve (V) Lower pointer: Superior petrosal sinus
5. Upper pointer: Facial nerve (VII) (intermediate nerve lies just below pointer) Lower pointer: Acoustic nerve (VllI)
6. Glossopharyngeal nerve (IX)
7. Vagus nerve (X)
8. Accessory nerve (XI)
9. Transverse sinus (sigmoid part)
10. Vertebral artery
11. Occipital artery (retracted laterally)
12. Dorsal root cervical nerve II
13. Anterior cranial fossa
14. Lesser wing sphenoid bone (covered by dura mater)
15. Upper pointer: Middle meningeal artery Lower pointer: Middle cranial fossa
16. Basilar venous plexus (connecting inferiorly with inferior petrosal sinus)
17. Abducens nerve (VI)
18. Posterior cranial fossa
19. Hypoglossal nerve (Xll)
20. Posterior meningeal artery
21. Spinal cord
22. Arch of axis