Brain in a Cut Section of the Skull, Lateral View

Description

Seen in a mid-sagittal cut through the male skull, the cerebral hemispheres fill the cranial cavity superior to the tentorium cerebelli, with the frontal lobe anterior and the occipital pole posterior. The temporal lobe sweeps inferiorly beneath the lateral (Sylvian) fissure, while the cerebellum sits posteroinferior to the cerebrum, separated by the transverse fissure. Deep to the cortical gyri and sulci, the ventricular system is opened in section, with the lateral ventricle and third ventricle aligning around the diencephalon and the cerebral aqueduct coursing toward the fourth ventricle dorsal to the pons. Brainstem continuity is clear, from midbrain to pons to medulla, tapering inferiorly toward the foramen magnum. A sagittal skull section is the teaching view for CSF pathways and for midline mass effect. Ventricular enlargement from obstructive hydrocephalus at the cerebral aqueduct or fourth ventricle outlets is easier to conceptualize when you can track the third ventricle, aqueduct, and fourth ventricle in one continuous plane. The same plane maps cleanly onto routine MRI, and it anchors discussions of transtentorial (uncal) herniation where the medial temporal lobe displaces inferomedially toward the midbrain. Midline anatomy, no distractions. Use this artwork for neuroanatomy and head and neck anatomy courses when you need a single plate that ties calvaria, nasal cavity, oral cavity, and encephalon into one spatial story, or for neurosurgical and neuroradiology texts explaining ventricular anatomy, hydrocephalus, and herniation patterns. It also supports patient-education materials that compare skull landmarks with internal brain regions in a way that matches sagittal CT and MRI. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.