The dissection of the cranium is relatively straight-forward. See your instructor if the brain has not been removed.

Basic concepts:
You may wish to review the basic concepts for the head at this time. The link opens a new window which you will need to close to return to this page.

Specific Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the components and distribution of each cranial nerve.
2. List each of the foramina in the skull and what traverses each.
3. Demonstrate the dural projections in the cranial cavity and explain the formation of dural sinuses.
4. Identify anatomic structures in radiographic studies including X-ray, CT scans and MRI films.

Difficult parts of the dissection:

1. Exposing the contents of the middle cranial fossa and understanding the relationships of cranial nerves to the cavernous sinus requires careful removal of the dura mater. See Step 3.