Sphenoid Bone in a Transparent Male Body, Lateral View

Description

Framed within a transparent male cranium in lateral profile, the sphenoid bone is isolated at the central skull base between the frontal bone anteriorly and the temporal and occipital bones posteriorly. The greater wing forms a broad lateral plate deep to the zygomatic arch and temporal fossa, while the pterygoid process descends inferiorly toward the posterior maxilla. Within the greater wing, the foramen ovale lies anteromedial to the foramen spinosum, both positioned inferior to the region of the superior orbital fissure and anterior to the petrous temporal bone. Cervical vertebrae align inferior to the occipital base, reinforcing the craniovertebral relationship. A lateral emphasis on the greater wing and its foramina matters because it maps the exits and entries used daily in skull base anatomy: the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve (V3) traverses the foramen ovale, and the middle meningeal artery enters via the foramen spinosum. Small positional errors here translate into real clinical misunderstanding, since percutaneous trigeminal rhizotomy and balloon compression for trigeminal neuralgia target the foramen ovale under fluoroscopic guidance, and surgical control of middle meningeal bleeding depends on knowing where the artery meets the dura. This is a landmark-heavy region. It rewards a clean lateral view. Use this artwork in gross anatomy and neuroanatomy teaching to anchor the sphenoid within the cranial base, or in neurosurgical and dental anesthesia materials that cover V3 pathways, infratemporal fossa relationships, and skull base approaches. It also suits textbooks and journal figures discussing epidural hematoma mechanisms at the middle meningeal artery and procedure planning around the foramen ovale. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.