Skull Base

Internal Features of Base of Skull

Divided into anterior, middle, and posterior cranial fossae

Anterior cranial fossa

• Contains frontal lobe of brain
• Formed by frontal bone anteriorly, ethmoid bone medially, and lesser wing of sphenoid bone posteriorly

Features

• Frontal crest—midline bony extension of frontal bone
• Foramen cecum—foramen at base of frontal crest
• Crista galli—midline ridge of bone from ethmoid posterior to foramen cecum
• Cribriform plate—thin, sievelike plate of bone on either side of crista galli, which transmits olfactory

• Cranial Foramina