Anatomy, Head and Neck, Foramen Magnum

The foramen magnum is of interest for various scientific disciplines: forensic and physical anthropology; comparative anatomy; biology; surgery of the foramen structures and for the craniovertebral junction. There are morphological differences between men and women. The sagittal diameter is greater in the male, as is the transverse diameter.The foramen magnum is the largest foramen of the skull. It is located in the most inferior portion of the cranial fossa as a part of the occipital bone. Its contents include the medulla oblongata, meninges, spinal root of cranial nerve XI, vertebral arteries, anterior and posterior spinal arteries, the tectorial membrane, and alar ligaments.On the foramen magnum, there are two craniometric points: the basion, the median point of the front edge of the hole, and the opisthion, posterior correspondence.