Head and Neck
Topics
Skull
Parts of the skull, bones and their anatomical landmarks.
- Skull (overview)
- Parts of skull (neurocranium and viscerocranium)
- Bones of neurocranium
- Frontal bone
- Frontal bone (squamous part)
- Frontal bone (orbital part)
- Frontal bone (nasal part)
- Ethmoid (overview and parts)
- Ethmoid (landmarks)
- Sphenoid (overview and parts)
- Body of sphenoid
- Body of sphenoid (landmarks)
- Greater wings of sphenoid (overview and surfaces)
- Greater wings of sphenoid (margins and openings)
- Lesser wings of sphenoid
- Pterygoid processes of sphenoid
- Temporal bone
- Squamous part of temporal bone
- Tympanic part of temporal bone
- Mastoid part of temporal bone
- Petrous part of temporal bone
- Apex of petrous part
- Anterior surface of petrous part
- Posterior surface of petrous part
- Inferior surface of petrous part
- Parietal bone (overview, borders, and angles)
- Parietal bone (surfaces and landmarks)
- Occipital bone (overview and parts)
- Occipital bone (basilar part)
- Occipital bone (lateral parts)
- Occipital bone (squamous part)
- Bones of viscerocranium
- Maxilla (overview and parts)
- Maxilla (body)
- Maxilla (processes)
- Palatine bone (overview)
- Palatine bone (horizontal plate)
- Palatine bone (perpendicular plate)
- Palatine bone (processes)
- Zygomatic bone (overview and processes)
- Zygomatic bone (surfaces, borders, and foramina)
- Lacrimal bone (overview and surfaces)
- Lacrimal bone (borders)
- Nasal bone
- Inferior nasal concha
- Vomer
- Mandible (overview)
- Mandible (body)
- Mandible (base)
- Mandible (alveolar process)
- Mandible (ramus)
- Hyoid bone (overview)
- Hyoid bone (parts)
Skull topography
Cranial bases, temporal, infratemporal and pterygopalatine fossae, orbit, nasal cavity.
- Skull topography (overview)
- Cranial base and calvaria
- Internal cranial base
- Internal cranial base (fossae)
- Anterior cranial fossa
- Anterior cranial fossa (borders)
- Anterior cranial fossa (walls)
- Anterior cranial fossa (openings)
- Middle cranial fossa
- Middle cranial fossa (borders)
- Middle cranial fossa (walls)
- Middle cranial fossa (openings)
- Posterior cranial fossa
- Posterior cranial fossa (borders)
- Posterior cranial fossa (walls)
- Posterior cranial fossa (openings)
- External cranial base
- External cranial base (parts and bones)
- Temporal fossa
- Temporal fossa (borders)
- Temporal fossa (walls)
- Temporal fossa (openings)
- Infratemporal fossa
- Infratemporal fossa (walls and borders)
- Infratemporal fossa (openings)
- Pterygopalatine fossa
- Orbit
- Orbit (margins and walls)
- Orbit (openings)
- Nasal cavity
- Paranasal sinuses and ethmoidal air cells
- Maxillary sinus
- Frontal sinus
- Sphenoid sinus
Anatomy of the face
Overview of the facial muscles, parotid gland, innervation and blood supply of the face.
- Facial muscles
- Orbital group of facial muscles
- Oral group of facial muscles
- Nasal group of facial muscles
- Facial muscles in the calvaria region (occipitofrontalis)
- Other facial muscles (platysma and auricular muscles)
- Parotid gland
- Sensory innervation of face
- Motor innervation of face
- Arterial blood supply of face
- Venous drainage of face
Cranial nerves
Twelve cranial nerves, their exit points, anatomical course, branches and topography.
- Cranial nerves (overview)
- Cranial nerve exits
- Cranial nerves and cavernous sinus
- Olfactory nerve (CN I)
- Optic nerve (CN II)
- Oculomotor nerve (CN III)
- Trochlear nerve (CN IV)
- Trigeminal nerve (CN V)
- Ophthalmic nerve (CN V1)
- Maxillary nerve (CN V2)
- Mandibular nerve (CN V3)
- Abducens nerve (CN VI)
- Facial nerve (CN VII)
- Intermediate portion of facial nerve
- Vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
- Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
- Vagus nerve (CN X)
- Accessory nerve (CN XI)
- Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
Triangles of the neck
Topographical regions known as triangles of the neck, their borders and contents.
- Triangles of the neck (overview)
- Anterior triangle
- Carotid triangle
- Content of carotid triangle
- Muscular triangle
- Content of muscular triangle
- Submandibular triangle
- Content of submandibular triangle
- Submental triangle
- Content of submental triangle
- Posterior triangle
- Content of the posterior triangle
Muscles of the neck
Superficial, suprahyoid, infrahyoid, scalene, prevertebral, suboccipital muscles of the neck.
- Neck muscles (overview)
- Superficial neck muscles
- Platysma
- Sternocleidomastoid muscle
- Suprahyoid neck muscles
- Mylohyoid
- Geniohyoid
- Digastric muscle
- Stylohyoid
- Infrahyoid neck muscles
- Sternohyoid
- Sternothyroid
- Thyrohyoid
- Omohyoid
- Scalene muscles
- Anterior scalene (scalenus anterior)
- Middle scalene (scalenus medius)
- Posterior scalene (scalenus posterior)
- Prevertebral muscles
- Longus capitis
- Longus colli
- Rectus capitis anterior
- Rectus capitis lateralis
- Suboccipital muscles
- Rectus capitis posterior major
- Rectus capitis posterior minor
- Obliquus capitis superior
- Obliquus capitis inferior
Arteries of the head and neck
Most important blood vessels providing arterial blood supply to the head and neck.
- Blood supply of head and neck
- Common carotid artery
- External carotid artery
- Superficial temporal artery
- Maxillary artery
- Mandibular part of maxillary artery
- Pterygoid part of maxillary artery
- Pterygopalatine part of maxillary artery
- Superior thyroid artery
- Lingual artery
- Facial artery
- Ascending pharyngeal artery
- Occipital artery
- Posterior auricular artery
- Internal carotid artery
- Vertebral artery
- Basilar artery
- Thyrocervical trunk
- Inferior thyroid artery
- Suprascapular artery
- Ascending cervical artery
- Transverse cervical artery
- Costocervical trunk
Facial muscles
Anatomy of the muscles that provide facial expressions.
- Facial muscles (overview)
- Occipitofrontalis
- Corrugator supercilii
- Depressor supercilii
- Orbicularis oculi
- Procerus
- Nasalis
- Compressor narium minor
- Dilator naris anterior
- Depressor septi nasi
- Orbicularis oris
- Levator anguli oris
- Levator labii superioris
- Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi
- Depressor labii inferioris
- Depressor anguli oris
- Mentalis
- Buccinator
- Risorius
- Zygomaticus minor
- Zygomaticus major
Brain
Brainstem, cerebellum, cerebral hemispheres. Lobes, gyri and sulci. Cerebral blood vessels.
- Brain (overview)
- Brainstem
- Medulla oblongata
- Pons
- Rhomboid fossa
- Rhomboid fossa: main landmarks
- Rhomboid fossa: superior triangle
- Rhomboid fossa: inferior triangle
- Midbrain
- Cerebellum (1 of 3)
- Cerebellum (2 of 3)
- Cerebellum (3 of 3)
- Cerebrum (Cerebral hemispheres)
- Cerebral lobes
- Cerebral gyri and sulci (overview)
- Frontal lobe: sulci and gyri
- Temporal lobe: sulci and gyri
- Parietal lobe: sulci and gyri
- Occipital lobe: sulci and gyri
- Sulci and gyri of the medial and inferior cerebral surfaces
- Insula
- Insula: sulci and lobules
- Insula: anterior lobule
- Insula: posterior lobule
- Functional areas of the cerebral cortex
- Arterial blood supply of the brainstem and cerebellum
- Arterial blood supply of the cerebrum
- Venous drainage of the brain
Salivary glands
Major and minor salivary glands, relations, neurovascular supply.
- Salivary glands (overview)
- Parotid gland
- Borders and surfaces of parotid gland
- Lobes of parotid gland
- Parotid duct (Stensen's duct)
- Parotid gland relations
- Accessory parotid gland
- Submandibular gland
- Lobes of submandibular gland
- Submandibular duct (Wharton's duct)
- Submandibular gland relations
- Sublingual gland
- Sublingual ducts (Bartholin's duct and ducts of Rvinus)
- Arterial blood supply of salivary glands
- Venous drainage of salivary glands
- Innervation of salivary glands (parotid gland)
- Innervation of salivary glands (submandibular and sublingual glands)
Veins of the head and neck
Course and topography of major veins providing drainage from the head and neck.
- Veins of the head and neck (overview)
- Superficial temporal vein
- Occipital vein
- Posterior auricular vein
- Pterygoid venous plexus
- Maxillary vein
- Retromandibular vein
- Supratrochlear (frontal) vein
- Supraorbital vein
- Angular vein
- Facial and common facial veins
- Deep facial vein
- Submental vein
- Lingual veins
- Internal jugular vein
- Pharyngeal veins
- Superior thyroid vein
- Middle thyroid vein
- Thyroid vein of Kocher
- Inferior thyroid vein
- External jugular vein
- Anterior jugular vein
- Posterior external jugular vein
- Transverse cervical veins
- Suprascapular vein
- Vertebral vein
- Subclavian vein
- Brachiocephalic vein
Skull openings
Location of various openings connecting different parts of the skull.
- Skull openings (overview)
- Foramen magnum
- Supraorbital foramen (or notch)
- Frontal (supratrochlear) foramen (or notch)
- Infraorbital foramen
- Nasolacrimal canal
- Anterior ethmoidal foramen
- Posterior ethmoidal foramen
- Superior orbital fissure
- Optic canal
- Inferior orbital fissure
- Opening of frontal sinus
- Cribriform foramina
- Foramen rotundum
- Foramen ovale
- Foramen spinosum
- Foramen lacerum
- Jugular foramen
- Opening of sphenoidal sinus
- External and internal openings of the carotid canal
- Musculotubal canal
- Hiatus for greater petrosal nerve
- Hiatus for lesser petrosal nerve
- Internal acoustic (auditory) opening
- Opening of vestibular canaliculus
- Stylomastoid foramen
- Opening of cochlear aqueduct
- Mastoid canaliculus (Arnold's canal)
- Tympanic canaliculus (Jacobson's canaliculus)
- Mastoid foramen
- Pterygoid canal (Vidian canal)
- Condylar canal (condylar foramen)
- Hypoglossal canal
- Alveolar foramina
- Greater palatine foramen
- Lesser palatine foramina
- Maxillary hiatus
- Incisive foramen
- Pterygomaxillary fissure
- Sphenopalatine foramen
- External acoustic (auditory) opening
- Zygomaticoorbital foramen
- Zygomaticofacial foramen
- Zygomaticotemporal foramen
- Inferior alveolar foramen (mandibular foramen)
- Mental foramen
- Parietal foramen
- Choana
- Pyriform (piriform) aperture