Incisive fossaHard palate (maxilla)Hard palate (palatine bone)Greater palatine foramenHamulusLesser palatine foramenLateral plate of pterygoidprocessMedial plate of pterygoidprocessVomerBody of sphenoidArticular tubercleMandibular fossaForamen ovaleForamen spinosumPetrous part oftemporal boneSquamous part oftemporal boneStyloid processStylomastoid foramenJugular foramenCarotid canalInferior nuchal lineOccipital condyleExternal occipital protuberanceSuperior nuchal lineExternal occipital crestForamen magnumPharyngeal tubercleHypoglossal canalMastoid processMastoid notchBasilar part of occipital boneForamen lacerumGroove for auditory tubeOpening of pterygoid canalPterygoid processScaphoid fossaPterygoid fossaGreater wing (of sphenoid bone)Posterior nasal aperture (choana)Pyramidal process of palatine boneAlveolar archPosterior nasal spine
Fig. 8.24 Roof of the cranial cavity.
Frontal boneFrontal crestGroove for superiorsagittal sinusBregmaGranular foveolaeSagittal sutureLambdoid sutureOccipital boneLambdaParietal boneGrooves for middlemeningeal arteryCoronal sutureGroove for anterior branch of middle meningeal artery
Fig. 8.25 Anterior cranial fossa.
Foramen cecumForamina of cribriform plateBody of (sphenoid)Frontal crestOrbital part (of frontal bone)Crista galliCribriform plate (of ethmoid bone)Lesser wing (of sphenoid)Anterior clinoid process
Fig. 8.26 Middle cranial fossa.
Optic canalSuperior orbital fissureGreater wing (of sphenoid)Foramen rotundumGroove for middlemeningeal arteryForamen ovaleForamen spinosumForamen lacerumTegmen tympaniDorsum sellaeMiddle clinoid processPrechiasmatic sulcusTuberculum sellaeHypophyseal fossaPosterior clinoid processGroove and hiatus for lesser petrosal  nerveGroove and hiatus for greater petrosal nerveArcuate eminenceTrigeminal impressionOpening of carotid canal
Fig. 8.27 Posterior cranial fossa.
Superior border of petrous part of temporal boneInternal acoustic meatusJugular foramenHypoglossal canalForamen magnumClivusJugular tubercleGroove for sigmoid sinusGroove for inferior petrosal sinusGroove for transverse sinusInternal occipital crestInternal occipital protuberance
Fig. 8.28 Summary of foramina and fissures through which major structures enter and leave the cranial cavity. A. Floor of cranial cavity.
Also indicated are the regions between which each foramen or fissure communicates. B. Inferior aspect of cranium.