Sagittal Section of the Skull and Spine, Lateral View

Description

Seen in lateral profile, a sagittal section through the cranium continues inferiorly into the cervical vertebral column, exposing the cranial cavity, posterior cranial fossa, and the vertebral canal in one continuous plane. Superiorly, the cerebral hemispheres with gyri and sulci fill the calvaria, while posterior and inferior to them the cerebellum sits beneath the tentorial region and behind the brainstem. Anteriorly the maxilla and mandible with upper and lower dentition frame the oral cavity, and posterior to the clivus the brainstem transitions through the foramen magnum into the spinal cord, which lies centrally within the cervical spinal canal between the vertebral bodies anteriorly and the posterior elements. Clinical teaching benefits from this cut because it aligns the central nervous system with its osseous boundaries and key choke points. The relationship of the medulla and upper cervical cord to the foramen magnum is the anatomical basis for brain herniation patterns and foramen magnum crowding in Chiari malformation, and it also explains why lesions at the craniovertebral junction can produce mixed long tract signs with lower cranial nerve findings. Disc spaces and vertebral body alignment provide context for cervical spondylosis and canal stenosis, where posterior osteophytes or disc protrusions can narrow the spinal canal and compress the cord. Use this illustration for neuroanatomy and head and neck anatomy courses when introducing sagittal planes, ventriculocranial relationships, and continuity of the brainstem with the spinal cord, or for radiology teaching alongside mid-sagittal MRI of the head and cervical spine. It also fits neurosurgical and spine texts discussing the craniovertebral junction, decompression approaches, and cervical myelopathy. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.