Posterior cranial fossa

The posterior cranial fossa is part of the cranial cavity, located between the foramen magnum and tentorium cerebelli. It contains the brainstem and cerebellum.Posterior cranial fossa at human fetusBase of skullPosterior cranial fossaPosterior cranial fossaA tumor of the posterior fossa leading to mass effect and shift of the fourth ventricleVideo (44 sec). Demonstrationg how cerebellum sits in the posterior cranial fossa. The posterior cranial fossa is part of the cranial cavity, located between the foramen magnum and tentorium cerebelli. It contains the brainstem and cerebellum. This is the most inferior of the fossae. It houses the cerebellum, medulla and pons.Anteriorly it extends to the apex of the petrous temporal. Posteriorly it is enclosed by the occipital bone. Laterally portions of the squamous temporal and mastoid part of the temporal bone form its walls. The most conspicuous, large opening in the floor of the fossa. It transmits the medulla, the ascending portions of the spinal accessory nerve (XI), and the vertebral arteries. Lies in the anterior wall of the posterior cranial fossa. It transmits the facial (VII) and vestibulocochlear (VIII) cranial nerves into a canal in the petrous temporal bone. Lies between the inferior edge of the petrous temporal bone and the adjacent occipital bone and transmits the internal jugular vein (actually begins here), the glossopharyngeal (IX), the vagus (X) and the accessory (XI) nerves.