Head and Neck

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Mandible (L. jaw)
1. Body
  1. External surface
    1. Mental protuberance (L. chin)
    2. Mental tubercle
    3. Mental foramen
      function - transmits the mental n., a. & v.
  2. Base
    1. Digastric fossa (G. di-, two + gaster, belly)
      attachment - anterior digastric m.
  3. Alveolar part (L. alveus, trough, hollow sac, cavity)
    function - houses roots of teeth
  4. Internal surface
    1. Mylohyoid line (G. myle, a mill, molar teeth)
      attachment - mylohyoid m.
    2. Submandibular fossa
      function - houses the submandibular gland
    3. Sublingual fossa (L. tongue)
      function - houses the sublingual gland
    4. Superior genial tubercle (superior mental spine) (G. geneion, chin)
      attachment - genioglossus m.
    5. Inferior genial tubercle (inferior mental spine)
      attachment - geniohyoid m.
    6. Mylohyoid groove
      function - houses mylohyoid n.
2. Mandibular ramus
  1. Angle
    attachment - masseter & medial pterygoid m.
  2. Medial surface
    1. Mandibular foramen
      function - transmits the inferior alveolar n., a. & v.
    2. Mandibular canal
      function - houses the inferior alveolar n., a. & v.
    3. Lingula
      attachment - sphenomandibular l.
    4. Mylohyoid groove
      function - houses mylohyoid n.
  3. Anterior border
    1. Oblique line
    2. Retromolar fossa
  4. Coronoid process (G. korone, hooked or curved)
    attachment - temporalis m.
    1. Temporal crest
      attachment - temporalis m.
  5. Mandibular (sigmoid) notch
    function - transmits the nerve & artery to the masseter m.
  6. Condylar process (G. kondylos, knuckle)
    1. Head of mandible
      1. Medial pole
      2. Lateral pole
    2. Neck of mandible
    3. Pterygoid fovea (G. pteron, wing)
      attachment - lateral pterygoid m.
Hyoid bone (G. hyoeides, shaped like the letter upsilon)
1. Body
  attachment - mylohyoid, genioglossus, sternohyoid, omohyoid & thyrohyoid m.
2. Greater cornu (L. horn)
  attachment - middle constrictor, hyoglossus & stylohyoid m.
3. Lesser cornu
  attachment - middle constrictor & stylohyoid lig.
Occipital bone
1. Squama (L. scale, plate)
  1. External occipital protuberence
    attachment - ligamentum nuchae
  2. Superior nuchal line
    attachment - trapezius, sternocleidomastoid & splenius capitis m.
  3. Inferior nuchal line
    attachment - rectus capitis posterior major & minor m.
  4. Internal occipital protuberence
    attachment - falx cerebelli
  5. External occipital crest
    attachment - ligamentum nuchae
  6. Superior sagittal sulcus
    function - houses superior sagittal sinus
  7. Sulcus for transverse sinus
    function - houses the transverse sinus
2. Basilar part
  attachments - longis capitis & rectus capitis anterior m.
  1. Foramen magnum (L. magnus, large)
    function - transmits the spinal cord, vertebral a. & v., & accessory nerve
  2. Pharyngeal tubercle
    attachments - pharyngeal raphe
3. Lateral part
  1. Occipital condyles
    function - articulates with atlas
  2. Hypoglossal canal
    function - transmits hypoglossal n
  3. Jugular notch & foramen (L. jugulum, throat)
    function - transmits the internal jugular v., glossopharyngeal n., vagus n. & accessory n.
Sphenoid Bone (L. wedge)
1. Body
  1. Sulcus chiasmatis (G. chiasma, two crossing lines, from the letter chi)
    function - houses the optic chiasm
  2. Optic canal
    function - transmits the optic n. & ophthalmic a.
  3. Tuberculum sellae (L. saddle)
  4. Sella turcica
    1. Hypophyseal fossa (G. an undergrowth)
      function - houses the pituitary
    2. Dorsum sellae
    3. Posterior clinoid processes (G. klino, to slope, incline or bend)
  5. Carotid groove
    function - houses internal carotid a. & carotid n.
  6. Sphenoid sinus
2. Greater wings
  1. Cerebral surfaces
  2. Foramen rotundum
    function - transmits the maxillary n.
  3. Foramen ovale
    function - transmits the mandibular n. & accessory meningeal a.
  4. Spine
    attachments - sphenomandibular lig.
  5. Foramen spinosum
    function - transmits the middle meningeal a. & the meningeal (recurrent) branch of the mandibular n.
  6. Lateral surface
    attachments - temporalis & lateral pterygoid m.
  7. Orbital surface
    1. Superior orbital fissure
      function - transmits the ophthalmic n., oculomotor n., trochlear n., abducens n., & ophthalmic v.
  8. Foramen lacerum (L. lacero, to tear)
3. Lesser wings
  1. Anterior clinoid processes
    attachments - tentorium cerebelli
4. Pterygoid process
  1. Pterygoid fossa
    attachments - medial pterygoid m.
  2. Scaphoid fossa (G. skaphe, skiff, boat)
    attachments - tensor palatini m.
  3. Pterygoid canal
    function - transmits the nerve of the pterygoid canal
  4. Lateral pterygoid plate
    attachments - lateral & medial pterygoid m.
  5. Medial pterygoid plate
    1. Pterygoid hamulus (L. small hook)
      function - deflects the tendon of the tensor palatini m.
Temporal bone
1. Squamous part
  1. Temporal surface
    attachments - temporalis m.
  2. Zygomatic process (G. zygon, yoke, a joining)
    attachments - masseter m.
  3. Mandibular fossa
    function - articulates with TMJ disc
    1. Articular eminence and tubercle
    2. Petrotympanic fissure (L. petra, rock, G. tympanon, drum)
      function - transmits chorda tympani n.
    3. Squamotympanic fissure
      attachments - articular disc
    4. Tegmen tympanii
      details - sliver of bone in squamotympanic fissure
    5. Opening of osseous portion of auditory tube
  4. External auditory meatus (L. a going, passage)
2. Mastoid part [G. mastos, breast + G. eidos, resemblance]
  1. Mastoid process
    attachments - sternocleidomastoid, splenius capitis & longissimus capitis m.
    1. Mastoid notch
      attachment - posterior belly of digastric m.
    2. Occipital groove
      function - houses occipital a.
  2. Sigmoid sulcus
    function - houses sigmoid sinus
3. Petrous part [L. petra, rock]
  1. Trigeminal impression
    function - houses trigeminal ganglion
  2. Posterior surface
    1. Internal auditory meatus
      function - transmits facial & vestibulocochlear n.
  3. Inferior surface
    1. Carotid canal
      function - transmits the internal carotid a. & carotid n.
    2. Jugular fossa
      function - transmits the internal jugular v., glossopharyngeal n., vagus n. & accessory n.
    3. Canaliculus for the tympanic n. (L. small canal)
      function - transmits the tympanic n.
  4. Superior border
    attachments - tentorium cerebelli
    1. Groove for the superior petrosal sinus
      function - houses the superior petrosal sinus
4. Tympanic part [G. tympanon, drum]
  1. Styloid process (G. stylos, pillar, post)
    attachments - stylohyoid, stylopharyngeus & styloglossus m. & stylohyoid l.
  2. Stylomastoid foramen
    function - transmits the facial n.
Parietal Bone (L. paries, wall)
1. External surface
  1. Superior temporal line
    attachments - temporal fascia
  2. Inferior temporal line
    attachments - temporalis m.
2. Internal surface
  1. Groove for the superior sagittal sinus
    function - houses the superior sagittal sinus
  2. Granular foveolae
    function - house arachnoid granulations
Frontal Bone
1. External surface
  1. Superciliary arch (L. cilium, eyelash)
  2. Glabella (L. glabellus, hairless)
  3. Supraorbital margin
    1. Supraorbital notch or foramen
      function - transmits the supraorbital n., a. & v.
  4. Zygomatic process
2. Internal surface
  1. Groove for the superior sagittal sinus
    function - houses the superior sagittal sinus
3. Orbital part
  1. Orbital surface
    1. Fossa for the lacrimal gland (L. lacrima, a tear)
      function - houses the lacrimal gland
    2. Anterior ethmoidal foramen
      function - transmits the anterior ethmoidal n., a. & v.
    3. Posterior ethmoidal foramen
      function - transmits the posterior ethmoidal n., a. & v.
4. Frontal sinus
Ethmoid bone
1. Cribriform plate (L. a sieve)
  1. Crista galli (L. crest)
    attachments - falx cerebri
  2. Olfactory foramina
    function - transmit the olfactory n.
2. Perpendicular plate
3. Ethmoidal labyrinths
  1. Air cells
  2. Orbital plate
    1. Anterior ethmoidal foramen
      function - transmits the anterior ethmoidal n., a., & v.
    2. Posterior ethmoidal foramen
      function - transmits the posterior ethmoidal n., a., & v.
  3. Medial surface
    1. Superior concha (L. shell)
    2. Middle concha
    3. Bulla ethmoidalis (L. bubble)
Inferior nasal concha
Lacrimal Bone
1. Orbital surface
  1. Fossa for the lacrimal sac
    function - house the lacrimal sac
Nasal bones
Vomer (L. ploughshare)
1. Ala (L. wing)
2. Groove for the nasopalatine n.
Maxilla
1. Body
  1. Anterior surface
    1. Incisive fossa
    2. Canine eminence
    3. Canine fossa
    4. Infraorbital margin
    5. Infraorbital foramen
      function - transmits the infraorbital n., a. & v.
    6. Anterior nasal spine
  2. Infratemporal surface (tuberosity)
    1. Alveolar canals
      function - transmits the superior alvelolar n., a. & v.
  3. Orbital surface
    1. Infraorbital groove and canal
      function - transmits the infraobrital n., a. & v.
  4. Nasal surface
    1. Greater palatine canal
      function - transmits the greater palatine n., a. & v.
    2. Nasolacrimal canal
      function - transmits the nasolacrimal duct
  5. Maxillary sinus
    1. Hiatus
2. Zygomatic process
3. Frontal process
  1. Anterior lacrimal crest
    attachments - medial palpebral lig.
4. Alveolar process
  function - houses roots of upper teeth
5. Palatine process
  1. Incisive fossa and canal
    function - transmits the nasopalatine n. & a., greater palatine a.
Palatine bones
1. Horizontal plate
2. Perpendicular plate
  1. Greater palatine canal & foramen
    function - transmits the greater palatine n., a. & v.
  2. Lesser palatine canal & foramen
    function - transmits the lesser palatine n., a. & v.
  3. Sphenopalatine foramen
    function - transmits the sphenopalatine a. & v., & the posterior superior nasal n.
3. Orbital process
Zygomatic bones
1. Lateral surface
  attachments - zygomaticus major & masseter m.
2. Temporal surface
3. Orbital surface
4. Frontal process
5. Maxillary process
6. Temporal process
Miscellaneous
1. Spaces
  1. Anterior cranial fossa
  2. Middle cranial fossa
  3. Posterior cranial fossa
  4. Temporal fossa
  5. Infratemporal fossa
  6. Pterygopalatine fossa
    1. Communications
      1. Foramen rotundum
        function - transmits the maxillary n.
      2. Pterygoid canal
        function - transmits the nerve of the pterygoid canal
      3. Inferior orbital fissure
        function - transmits the zygomatic n.
      4. Infraorbital groove
        function - transmits the infraorbital n., a. & v.
      5. Sphenopalatine foramen
        function - transmits the sphenopalatine a. & v., & posterior superior nasal n.
      6. Pterygomaxillary fissure
        function - transmits the posterior superior alveolar n., & the infraorbital, sphenopalatine & greater palatine a. & v.
      7. Palatovaginal canal
        function - transmits the pharyngeal branch of the maxillary n.
      8. Greater palatine canal
        function - transmits the greater palatine n., a. & v.
2. Reference points
  1. Bregma (G. the forepart of the head)
    details - junction of coronal and sagittal sutures
  2. Lambda
    details - junction of sagittal and lamboidal sutures
  3. Pterion
    details - area where parietal sphenoid, fronatl and temporal bones meet
  4. Nasion
    details - junction of internasal and frontonasal suture
3. Structures
  1. Zygomatic arch
    attachments - masseter m.
4. Sutures
  1. Coronal
    details - between frontal & parietal bones
  2. Cruciform
    details - between palatine processes of maxilla and horizontal processes of the palatine bones
  3. Lambdoid
    details - between occipital and parietal bones
  4. Sagittal
    details - between parietal bones
Atlas (G. Atlas, in Greek mythology a Titan who supported the heavens on his shoulders)
1. Anterior arch
  1. Anterior tubercle
    attachments - anterior longitudinal lig. & longus coli m.
2. Lateral masses
  1. Superior facet
    function - articulates with occipital condyles
  2. Inferior facet
    function - articulates with axis
3. Posterior arch
  1. Groove for the vertebral artery
    function - houses the vertebral a. & v. & suboccipital n.
  2. Posterior tubercle
    attachment - ligamentum nuchae & rectus capitis posterior minor m.
4. Transverse process
  attachments - levator scapulae, obliquus capitis inferior & obliquus capitis superior
  1. Transverse foramen
    function - transmits the vertebral a. & v.
Axis (L. axle)
1. Body
  1. Superior articular facet
    function - articulates with the atlas
2. Dens (L. tooth)
  1. Impressions for the alar lig.
    attachments - alar lig.
  2. Groove for the transverse lig.
    function - houses the transverse ligament (cruciate)
3. Neural arch
  1. Pedicle
    1. Vertebral notch
      function - transmits C3 spinal nerve
    2. Transverse process
      attachments - levator scapulae & middle scalene
      1. Transverse foramen
        function - transmits the vertebral a. & v
  2. Lamina
  3. Spinous process
    attachments - semispinalis cervicis, rectus capitis posterior major & inferior oblique m.
Vertebrae (C3 - C7)
1. Body
2. Spaces
  1. Vertebral foramen & canal (L. an aperature)
    function - houses spinal cord
  2. Vertebral notches (indentation at the edge of a bone)
    1. Intervertebral foramen
      function - transmits spinal nerves & radicular vessels
3. Neural arch
  1. Pedicle (L. pediculus, foot)
    1. Transverse process (bony projection)
      attachments - longus capitis, longus coli, scalenus anterior, scalenus medius, scalenus posterior & semispinalis capitis
      1. Transverse foramen
        function - transmits vertebral a. & v.
    2. Superior articular process
      1. superior articular facet
        function - articulates with adjacent vertebra
    3. Inferior articular process
      1. Inferior articular facet
        function - articulates with adjacent vertebra
  2. Lamina (L. plate, leaf)
  3. Spinous process
    attachments - splenius capitis & semispinalis cervicis
Auditory Ossicles
1. Malleus (L. hammer)
  attachments - tensor tympani m.
2. Incus (L. anvil)
3. Stapes (L. stirrup)
  attachments - stapedius m.
Sternum
1. Manubrium
  1. Jugular notch
  2. Clavicular notch & facet
    function - articulates with clavicle (articular disc)
  3. Anterior surface
    attachments - sternocleidomastoid m.
  4. Posterior surface
    attachments - sternohyoid & sternothyroid m.
Clavicle
1. Sternal end
  function - articulates with sternum (articular disc)
  1. Superior surface
    attachments - sternocleidomastoid m.

Overview