Hypoglossal Canal — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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ModerateAnatomy (Head & Neck)Hypoglossal CanalMFDS Part 1

During skull-base surgery, the hypoglossal nerve is followed from the posterior cranial fossa into the hypoglossal canal. Which cranial bone contains this canal?

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Correct answer: C — Occipital bone

The correct answer is C, the occipital bone. The hypoglossal canal lies in the lateral part of the occipital bone, superior to the occipital condyle, and transmits the hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII) from the posterior cranial fossa towards the neck. The temporal bone contains structures such as the carotid canal and internal acoustic meatus, while the sphenoid contains the optic canal and foramina rotundum, ovale and spinosum. The parietal and frontal bones form much of the cranial vault and do not contain the hypoglossal canal. Therefore, involvement of this canal indicates pathology affecting the occipital bone.

Reference: Ossification of bony nerve canals in the human head: a comparison between the endochondral and membranous bones, Figure 7, 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40097262/