Cranial anatomy

Cranial anatomy is the structure and form of the skull and its associated bones, including the braincase, facial skeleton, joints, and openings.

Neurocranium: The part of the skull that encloses and protects the brain. It forms the braincase, one of the skull’s two main anatomical divisions.
Intramembranous ossification: Bone formation directly from mesenchymal tissue without a cartilage model. It forms many flat bones of the cranial vault.
Craniosynostosis: Premature fusion of one or more cranial sutures during skull development. Early suture fusion alters skull growth and can change cranial shape.
Vertebral column: The series of vertebrae that supports the trunk and protects the spinal cord. Unlike the skull, it is built around repeated vertebrae and intervertebral joints.
Viscerocranium: The bones of the face, excluding the braincase. It forms the facial skeleton alongside the neurocranium.
Endochondral ossification: Bone formation in which a cartilage model is gradually replaced by bone. It forms much of the cranial base.
Skull fracture: A break in one or more bones of the skull. Fracture patterns reflect the skull’s bones, thin regions, and structural supports.
Appendicular skeleton: The bones of the limbs and the girdles that attach them to the axial skeleton. Its limb-supporting structure contrasts with the skull’s protective and sensory roles.
Cranial sutures: Fibrous joints that connect the bones of the skull. Their arrangement marks the boundaries between major cranial bones.
Fontanelle: A membrane-covered gap between skull bones in an infant. Fontanelles allow early skull growth and flexibility during birth.

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