Pterygoid canal

Pterygoid canal
Base of skull. Inferior surface. (Sphenoid is yellow.)
Sphenoid bone. Anterior and inferior surfaces. (Pterygoid c. labeled at center left.)
Details
Artery	artery of the pterygoid canal
Nerve	nerve of pterygoid canal
Identifiers
Latin	canalis pterygoideus
TA98	A02.1.05.053
TA2	639
FMA	54756
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

The pterygoid canal (also vidian canal) is a passage in the sphenoid bone of the skull leading from just anterior to the foramen lacerum in the middle cranial fossa to the pterygopalatine fossa.^[1]

It transmits the nerve of pterygoid canal (Vidian nerve), the artery of the pterygoid canal (Vidian artery), and the vein of the pterygoid canal (Vidian vein).

Structure

The pterygoid canal runs through the medial pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone to the back wall of the pterygopalatine fossa.

Additional images

Medial wall of left orbit.

External links

Anatomy figure: 22:4b-08 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
cranialnerves at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (VII)

References

^ Omami, Galal; Hewaidi, Gebril; Mathew, Reji (1 October 2011). "The neglected anatomical and clinical aspects of pterygoid canal: CT scan study". Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy. 33 (8): 697–702. doi:10.1007/s00276-011-0808-8. ISSN 1279-8517. PMID 21445687. S2CID 206948796. Retrieved 5 November 2022.

Neurocranium of the skull

Occipital

Squamous part	external Inion/External occipital protuberance Occipital bun External occipital crest Nuchal lines Suprainiac fossa planes Occipital Nuchal internal Cruciform eminence Internal occipital protuberance Internal occipital crest Groove for transverse sinus
Lateral parts	Condyle Condyloid fossa Condylar canal Hypoglossal canal jugular Jugular process Jugular tubercle
Basilar part	Pharyngeal tubercle Clivus
Other	Foramen magnum Basion Opisthion

Parietal

Frontal

Squamous part	Frontal suture Frontal eminence external Superciliary arches Glabella foramina Supraorbital foramen Brow ridge Foramen cecum Zygomatic process internal Sagittal sulcus Frontal crest
Orbital part	Ethmoidal notch Fossa for lacrimal gland Trochlear fovea Frontal sinus Frontonasal duct

Temporal

Squamous part	Articular tubercle Suprameatal triangle Mandibular fossa Petrotympanic fissure Zygomatic process
Mastoid part	Mastoid foramen Mastoid process (Mastoid cells) Mastoid notch Occipital groove Sigmoid sulcus Mastoid antrum (Aditus)
Petrous part	Carotid canal Facial canal Hiatus Internal auditory meatus Cochlear aqueduct Stylomastoid foramen fossae Subarcuate fossa Jugular fossa canaliculi Inferior tympanic Mastoid Styloid process Petrosquamous suture (note: ossicles in petrous part, but not part of temporal bone)
Tympanic part	Suprameatal spine

Sphenoid

Surfaces	Superior surface: Sella turcica Dorsum sellae Tuberculum sellae Hypophysial fossa Posterior clinoid processes Ethmoidal spine Chiasmatic groove Middle clinoid process Petrosal process Clivus Lateral surface: Carotid groove Sphenoidal lingula Anterior surface: Sphenoidal sinuses
Great wings	foramina Rotundum Ovale Vesalii Spinosum Spine Infratemporal crest Sulcus of auditory tube
Small wings	Superior orbital fissure Anterior clinoid process Optic canal
Pterygoid processes	fossae Pterygoid Scaphoid pterygoid plates Lateral Medial Pterygoid canal Hamulus
Other	Body Sphenoidal conchae

Ethmoid

Plates	Cribriform plate Crista galli Olfactory foramina Perpendicular plate
Surfaces	Lateral surface Orbital lamina Uncinate process Medial surface Supreme nasal concha Superior nasal concha Superior meatus Middle nasal concha Middle meatus
Labyrinth	Ethmoid sinus ethmoidal foramina Posterior Anterior

Foramina of the skull (and canals, fissures, meatus, and hiatus)

Anterior cranial fossa

to Orbit:	ethmoidal foramina anterior posterior
to Nasal cavity:	olfactory foramina (CN-I) foramen cecum

Middle cranial fossa

to Orbit:	optic canal (CN-II) superior orbital fissure (CN-III,IV,V1,VI)
to Pterygopalatine fossa:	foramen rotundum (CN-V2) pterygoid canal
to Infratemporal fossa:	foramen ovale (CN-V3) foramen spinosum/carotid canal
other:	foramen lacerum hiatus for greater petrosal nerve hiatus for lesser petrosal nerve sphenoidal emissary foramen

Posterior cranial fossa

internal auditory meatus/facial canal/stylomastoid foramen (CN-VII,VIII)
jugular foramen (CN-IX,X,XI)
foramen magnum (CN-XI)
hypoglossal canal (CN-XII)
condylar canal
mastoid foramen

Orbit

to Nasal cavity:	nasolacrimal canal
to face:	supraorbital notch foramen infraorbital foramen groove zygomatic foramen -facial -temporal
to Pterygopalatine fossa:	inferior orbital fissure
other:	Inferior orbital fissure Fossa for lacrimal sac

Pterygopalatine fossa

to Nasal cavity:	sphenopalatine foramen
to Oral cavity:	greater palatine canal foramen lesser palatine canals foramina
to Infratemporal fossa:	pterygomaxillary fissure
to Nasopharynx:	palatovaginal canal