Anatomy of the Head and Spine is the part of a series of courses from Yale covering the anatomy of the entire body as well as the fundamentals of diagnostic imaging. It provides an in-depth exploration of the anatomical structures of the head and spine through a combination of theoretical instruction and virtual laboratory dissections.
Led by Professors Charles Duncan and Bill Stewart, the course begins with foundational knowledge of the spine, spinal cord, and vertebral regions, including their structural features, curvatures, and blood supply.
Subsequent modules focus on the skull, cranial nerves, brain, and associated structures, emphasizing detailed dissections of the cranial vault, facial nerve, and base of the brain. Students will analyze the brain’s lobes, vasculature, and cerebrospinal fluid pathways, as well as the relationships among cranial nerves, dural folds, and venous sinuses.
The course concludes with an examination of the skull base, nasal and paranasal structures, oral and pharyngeal cavities, and the upper airway, providing a comprehensive understanding of head and spine anatomy essential for advanced medical studies and clinical application.
Overview
Syllabus
- Course Introduction
- This course teaches the anatomical structures found within the head and spine
- Spine
- An introduction to spine and spinal cord.
- Skull, Face, and Cranium
- In this module the skull, fetal skull, parotid gland, facial nerve (VII) and brain removal with encountered structures are taught. This volume includes facial nerve (VII) dissection through the parotid gland. Emphasis is made of the cranial nerves encountered in order along skull base from olfactory (I) to hypoglossal (XII) in the course of brain removal.
- The Brain
- In this lab the structures of the brain are taught. Included in this guide is detailed description of base of brain along with its vascularity, lateral view of the hemispheres and posterior fossa structures and a midline dissection of brain describing the midline hemispheres, diencephalon and venous sinuses.
- Skull Base, Cavernous Sinus
- In this lab structures of the skull base, cavernous sinus are taught. The trigeminal nerve branches in the middle fossa are included with the structures of cavernous sinus. The orbit and its contents are presented from superior and inferior perspectives. In situ base of the brain is taught from a complex dissection of skull base.
- Midline Head
- In this lab the head is taught. The approach is from a midline sagittal plane dissection of these structures. Skull base, nasal sinuses, nasopharynx, oral cavity, oropharynx and upper airway are emphasized.
Taught by
Shanta Kapadia, William B. Stewart, and Charles Duncan
