Bone
Sphenoid bone
Keystone of the cranial base
High-yield
Sella turcica holds the pituitary; superior orbital fissure transmits CN III, IV, V1, VI; foramen ovale transmits CN V3; foramen rotundum transmits CN V2.
Overview
A butterfly-shaped bone spanning the cranial floor that articulates with most cranial bones and houses the pituitary gland in the sella turcica.
Reference facts
- Bone type
Irregular
- Key landmarks
Body with sella turcica (hypophyseal fossa); Greater and lesser wings; Pterygoid processes; Superior orbital fissure; Optic canal; Foramen rotundum, ovale, and spinosum
- Articulations
Frontal; Parietal; Temporal; Occipital; Ethmoid; Zygomatic, palatine, vomer bones