Posterior cranial fossa
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Mudgal P, Gaillard F, Mahmud A, et al. Posterior cranial fossa. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 21 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-28501
rID:
28501
Article created:
27 Mar 2014,
Prashant Mudgal
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Prashant Mudgal had no recorded disclosures.
View Prashant Mudgal's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Frank Gaillard had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Frank Gaillard's current disclosures
Revisions:
11 times, by
9 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Posterior cranial fossa (PCF)
The posterior cranial fossa is the most posterior aspect of the skull base, housing the brainstem and cerebellum. It is also the largest and deepest of the three cranial fossae 1.
Gross anatomy
The following structures are present from anterior to posterior:
groove for superior petrosal sinus
condyloid foramen of the condylar canal
Boundaries
anterior: posterior surface of petrous temporal bone
posteroinferior: occipital bone
lateral: squamous and mastoid parts of temporal bone
superior: tentorium cerebelli
Communications
The posteior fossa primarily communicates with the supratentorial compartment through the tentorial notch (or incisura) and to the spinal canal through foramen magnum. Numerous additional foramina allow for vessels and nerves to enter/exit the posterior fossa.
Related pathology
Chiari malformations may result in overcrowding of posterior cranial fossa
Quiz questions
References
- 1. Sandhu K & Gupta N. Anesthesia for Posterior Fossa Surgery. Essentials of Neuroanesthesia. 2017;:255-76. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-805299-0.00014-2
- 2. Mahmood Mafee, Minerva Becker. Imaging of the Head and Neck. (2012) ISBN: 9783131505316 - Google Books
- 3. Muralidharan Nair, V. Singh. Progress in Clinical Neurosciences, Volume 27. (2013) ISBN: 9788181931139 - Google Books
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Dura mater
- Dandy-Walker continuum
- Extradural haemorrhage
- Hypoglossal nerve
- Perilymphatic duct
- Superior petrosal vein
- Condylar canal
- Base of the skull
- Ascending transtentorial herniation
- Hypoglossal canal
- Occipital artery
- Cochlear aqueduct
- Cerebellum
- Dandy-Walker malformation
- Falx cerebelli
- Petrous part of temporal bone
- Porus trigeminus
- Petrous apex
- Mega cisterna magna
- Cerebellar mutism syndrome
Cases:
Multiple choice questions:
Related articles: Anatomy: Head and neck
- skeleton of the head and neck
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cranial vault
- scalp (mnemonic)
- fontanelle
-
sutures
- calvarial
- facial
- frontozygomatic suture
- frontomaxillary suture
- frontolacrimal suture
- frontonasal suture
- temporozygomatic suture
- zygomaticomaxillary suture
- parietotemporal suture (parietomastoid suture)
- occipitotemporal suture (occipitomastoid suture)
- sphenofrontal suture
- sphenozygomatic suture
- spheno-occipital suture (not a true suture)
- lacrimomaxillary suture
- nasomaxillary suture
- internasal suture
- basal/internal
- skull landmarks
- frontal bone
- temporal bone
- parietal bone
- occipital bone
- skull base (foramina)
-
facial bones
- midline single bones
- paired bilateral bones
- cervical spine
- hyoid bone
- laryngeal cartilages
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cranial vault
- muscles of the head and neck
- muscles of the tongue (mnemonic)
- muscles of mastication
-
facial muscles
- epicranius muscle
- circumorbital and palpebral muscles
- nasal muscles
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buccolabial muscles
- elevators, retractors and evertors of the upper lip
- levator labii superioris alaeque nasalis muscle
- levator labii superioris muscle
- zygomaticus major muscle
- zygomaticus minor muscle
- levator anguli oris muscle
- malaris muscle
- risorius muscle
- depressors, retractors and evertors of the lower lip
- depressor labii inferioris muscle
- depressor anguli oris muscle
- mentalis muscle
- compound sphincter
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orbicularis oris muscle
- incisivus labii superioris muscle
- incisivus labii inferioris muscle
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orbicularis oris muscle
- muscle of mastication
- modiolus
- elevators, retractors and evertors of the upper lip
- muscles of the middle ear
- orbital muscles
- muscles of the soft palate
- pharyngeal muscles
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- intrinsic muscles of the larynx
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- scalenus anterior muscle
- scalenus medius muscle
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- scalenus pleuralis muscle
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suboccipital muscles
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- rectus capitis posterior minor muscle
- obliquus capitis superior muscle
- obliquus capitis inferior muscle
- accessory muscles of the neck
- deep cervical fascia
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deep spaces of the neck
- anterior cervical space
- buccal space
- carotid space
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- deep cervical fascia
- infratemporal fossa
- masticator space
- parapharyngeal space
- stylomandibular tunnel
- parotid space
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- orbit
- ear
- paranasal sinuses
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- viscera of the neck
- blood supply of the head and neck
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arterial supply
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common carotid artery
- carotid body
- carotid bifurcation
- subclavian artery
- variants
-
common carotid artery
- venous drainage
-
arterial supply
- innervation of the head and neck
-
cranial nerves
- olfactory nerve (CN I)
- optic nerve (CN II)
- oculomotor nerve (CN III)
- trochlear nerve (CN IV)
-
trigeminal nerve (CN V) (mnemonic)
- trigeminal ganglion
- ophthalmic division
- maxillary division
- mandibular division
- abducens nerve (CN VI)
- facial nerve (CN VII)
-
vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
- vestibular ganglion (Scarpa's ganglion)
- glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
- vagus nerve (CN X)
- (spinal) accessory nerve (CN XI)
- hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
- parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck
- cervical sympathetic ganglia
- greater occipital nerve
- third occipital nerve
-
cervical plexus
- muscular branches
- longus capitis
- longus colli
- scalenes
- geniohyoid
- thyrohyoid
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ansa cervicalis
- omohyoid (superior and inferior bellies separately)
- sternothyroid
- sternohyoid
- phrenic nerve
- contribution to the accessory nerve (CN XI)
- cutaneous branches
- muscular branches
- brachial plexus
- pharyngeal plexus
-
cranial nerves
- lymphatic drainage of the head and neck
- embryological development of the head and neck
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