1. Table 2 Foramina of the Skull and Their Contents
By Dr. Noura Osman., 29-11-2009
Foramen Location on Skull Bone(s) Location on Bone Contents
Parietal Anterior to lambda Parietal On superior aspect Emissary vein to superior sagittal
on either side of near the sagittal sinus, sometimes a branch of the
sagittal suture suture occipital artery
Pharyngeal canal External base of Sphenoid Between the Pharyngeal nerve, pharyngeal
skull; medial to and vaginal process of artery
medial pterygoid palatine the sphenoid and
plate the sphenoid
process of the
palatine
Posterior ethmoidal Medial wall of orbit Frontal Fronto-ethmoidal Posterior ethmoidal nerve and
and suture, posterior to vessels (when present)
ethmoidal the anterior
ethmoidal foramen
Posterosuperior Anterior to the Maxilla Infratemporal Posterosuperior alveolar nerves
alveolar pterygomaxillary surface and and vessels
fissure maxillary
tuberosity
Pterygoid canal Extends from Sphenoid Body of sphenoid Nerve and vessels of the
(vidian canal) foramen lacerum to just above the pterygoid canal (vidian nerve and
pterygopalatine pterygoid processes vessel)
fossa
Rotundum Middle cranial fossa Sphenoid Greater wing Maxillary branch of the
trigeminal nerve
Sphenopalatine Medial wall of Sphenoid Between Sphenopalatine artery and
pterygopalatine and sphenoidal and posterior superior nasal brs.
fossa palatine orbital processes (nasopalatine) nerves
Spinosum Middle cranial fossa Sphenoid Spine of the Middle meningeal vessels and
sphenoid recurrent meningeal branch of
mandibular division of cranial
nerve V
Stylomastoid Between styloid and Temporal Posterior to the Facial nerve, stylomastoid
mastoid processes base of the styloid vessels
process
Superior orbital Postero superior Sphenoid Between roof and Cranial nerves III, IV, VI,
fissure aspect of orbit and frontal lateral wall, lateral ophthalmic division of V;
to apex sympathetic fibers; branches of
middle meningeal artery;
recurrent branch of lacrimal
artery; superior ophthalmic vein
Supraorbital Superior rim of Frontal Below superciliary Supraorbital nerve and vessels
orbit arch
Zygomaticofacial Lateral to the Zygoma Malar surface, Zygomaticofacial nerve and
inferolateral angle above the origin of vessels
of the orbital rim zygomaticus major
muscle
Zygomatico-orbital Anterior floor of Zygoma Orbital surface Zygomaticofacial and
orbit zygomaticotemporal nerves and
vessels
Zygomaticotemporal Temporal fossa Zygoma Temporal surface Zygomaticotemporal nerve and
vessels