Anatomy Exam Bones of the Cranial Vault 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A fracture of the pterion is clinically dangerous because it overlies which artery?
- Anterior cerebral artery
- Middle meningeal artery (Correct answer)
- Posterior cerebral artery
- Middle cerebral artery
Correct answer: Middle meningeal artery
The pterion is the thinnest part of the skull and overlies the anterior branch of the middle meningeal artery, rupture of which causes epidural hematoma.
Question 2: The foramen magnum is located in which bone of the cranial vault?
- Parietal bone
- Temporal bone
- Sphenoid bone
- Occipital bone (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Occipital bone
The foramen magnum is a large opening in the occipital bone through which the brainstem transitions into the spinal cord.
Question 3: Which cranial bone contains the sella turcica?
- Frontal bone
- Ethmoid bone
- Sphenoid bone (Correct answer)
- Temporal bone
Correct answer: Sphenoid bone
The sella turcica ('Turkish saddle') is a saddle-shaped depression in the body of the sphenoid bone that houses the pituitary gland.
Question 4: Which of the following bones does NOT contribute to the cranial vault (calvaria)?
- Frontal bone
- Parietal bone
- Nasal bone (Correct answer)
- Occipital bone
Correct answer: Nasal bone
The nasal bone is a facial bone and does not form part of the cranial vault, which is composed of the frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, and parts of the sphenoid bones.
Question 5: The squamous part of which bone forms a large portion of the lateral cranial vault?
- Occipital bone
- Temporal bone (Correct answer)
- Sphenoid bone
- Ethmoid bone
Correct answer: Temporal bone
The squamous part of the temporal bone is the flat, fan-shaped portion that forms a significant part of the lateral wall of the cranium.
Question 6: At birth, which fontanelle is the largest and located at the bregma?
- Posterior fontanelle
- Mastoid fontanelle
- Sphenoidal fontanelle
- Anterior fontanelle (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Anterior fontanelle
The anterior fontanelle is the largest, diamond-shaped soft spot located at the bregma, normally closing by 18–24 months of age.
Question 7: The occipital bone articulates with the parietal bones via which suture?
- Coronal suture
- Squamous suture
- Sagittal suture
- Lambdoid suture (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Lambdoid suture
The lambdoid suture connects the occipital bone to the two parietal bones, forming a lambda (Λ) shape at the back of the skull.
Anatomy Exam Bones of the Cranial Vault 3
A fracture of the pterion is clinically dangerous because it overlies which artery?