A little help to orientate

1. C.Riedinger 2011
What lies on the either side of the cranial foramina?
Name Location (bone) Structures passing through Other side
Cribriform Anterior cranial fossa Olfactory nerve (I) Ethmoidal air cells  nasal cavity
plate (ethmoid)
Optic canal Anterior cranial fossa Optic nerve (II) Posterosuperomedial orbit
(sphenoid)
Superior Middle cranial fossa Occulomotor nerve (III) Posteromedial orbit
orbital (sphenoid) Trochlear nerve (IV)
Fissure Opthalmic division of trigeminal n. (Va)
Abducent nerve (VI)
Foramen Middle cranial fossa Maxillary division of the trigeminal n (Vb) Pterygopalatine fossa,
Rotundum (sphenoid) Inferior orbital fissure
Foramen Middle cranial fossa Mandibular division of the trigeminal (Vc) Just on other side of sphenoid,
ovale (sphenoid) More medial to temporomandibular
joint
=nasopharynx?
Foramen Middle cranial fossa Middle meningeal artery Just on other side of sphenoid,
spinosum (sphenoid) Medial to temporomandibular joint
=nasopharynx?
Foramen Middle cranial fossa Internal carotid but NOT all the way Just on other side,
lacerum (sphenoid) through, exits instead via carotid canal Between body of sphenoid,
Basal part of occipital bone and
temporal bone
Internal Posterior cranial fossa Facial nerve (VII) Through petrous part of temporal
auditory (petrous part of Vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII) bone via middle ear to external
meatus temporal bone) auditory meatus
Jugular Posterior cranial fossa Glossopharyngeal nerve (IX) Medial to styloid process,
foramen (between temporal and Vagus nerve (X) Petrous part of temporal bone
occipital bones) Accessory nerve (XI)
Sigmoid sinus to inferior jugular vein
Hypoglossal Posterior cranial fossa Hypoglossal canal (XII) Just on other side of occiput,
canal (occipital bone) next to articular facet of atlanto-
occipital joint
(Pictures taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_of_skull)