Bone Identification

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NCLEX-PN › Bone Identification

Questions 1 - 10
1

What structures of the skull form the cheek bones?

The zygomatic arches

The styloid processes

The pterion

The mental protuberance

Explanation

The cheek bones are formed by the zygomatic arches, which are part of the temporal bones of the face. The mental protuberance forms the chin, the styloid processes are just under the ears and serve as an attachment point for several muscles of the mouth and throat, and the pterion is the suture where the frontal, parietal, temporal, and sphenoid bones come together.

2

A patient presents to the ER complaining of "pain in his heart." When the nurse asks him to point to the area that he feels the pain, he places his finger on the bony protuberance just below his rib cage. Seeing this, the nurse has reason to suspect that his pain may be gastrointestinal or musculoskeletal in origin as well as cardiac. What bony protuberance is this patient likely touching?

The xiphoid process

The manubrium

The costal cartilage

The body of the sternum

Explanation

The costal cartilage of the ribcage is joined to the sternum, which is made up of three bony structures: the most superior is the manubrium, which articulates not just with the costal cartilage of the first rib but also with the clavicles. The body of the sternum is inferior to the manubrium, and articulates with the second through fifth ribs. The xiphoid process is a small protuberance just below the body of the sternum, at the point where the bottom of the ribcage meets the sternum. It is an attachment point for several muscles, including the diaphragm, the rectus abdominis, and the transverse abdominis. This is a common location for referred pain from gallbladder disease, GERD, or pain due to musculoskeletal injury or irritation.

3

Which of the following is the name for the foramen that forms the ear canal?

The external auditory meatus

The internal auditory meatus

The foramen rotundum

The foramen ovale

Explanation

The foramen that forms the ear canal is called the external auditory meatus. This travels through the temporal bone and joins the inner ear to the outer ear. The internal auditory meatus passes through the temporal bone between the posterior cranial fossa and the inner ear, and is the track through which the vestibulocochlear nerve, the facial nerve, and the labyrinthine artery travel from the inner ear toward the CNS. The foramen ovale and foramen rotundum are both openings in the sphenoid bones and have to connection to the ear.

4

All of the following bones form the nasal cavity except __________.

the sphenoid

the vomer

the maxilla

the nasal bone

Explanation

The nasal cavity is formed by the following bones: the maxilla, the vomer, the nasal bone, the palatine bones, the lacrimal bone, and the ethmoid bone. It is also formed by the nasal conchae and the septal cartilage. The sphenoid forms part of the orbit and multiple sinuses but does not form any art of the nasal cavity directly.

5

Which of the following is not a fossa of the scapula?

The suprascapular fossa

The supraspinous fossa

The infraspinatus fossa

The subscapular fossa

Explanation

The scapula has multiple fossa that serve as attachment points of various bones and muscles of the shoulder. Among these are the glenoid fossa, where the head of the humerus articulates with the scapula, the subscapular fossa, which is an attachment for the subscapularis muscle, the infraspinous fossa, to which the infraspinatus attaches, and the supraspinous fossa, to which the supraspinatus muscle attaches. There is no suprascapular fossa on the scapula.

6

Which of the following structures passes through the superior orbital fissure?

All of these

The superior and inferior divisions of oculomotor nerve (cranial nerve III)

The trochlear nerve (cranial nerve IV)

The abducens nerve (cranial nerve VI)

The ophthalmic nerve (cranial nerve V, branch V1)

Explanation

The superior orbital fissure, an opening in the back of the orbit formed by the lesser and greater wings of the sphenoid bone, has several important structures passing through it. These include the ophthalmic nerve (CN V1), the abducens nerve (CN VI), the trochlear nerve (CN IV), and the superior and inferior divisions of oculomotor nerve (CN III). It also transmits various blood vessels and the sympathetic fivers from the cavernous plexus. Injury to this area can cause a wide range of ocular pathologies including pain, diplopia, ptosis, exophthalmos, and vision impairment or vision loss.

7

Which of the following bony landmarks of the skull is an attachment point for the splenius capitis, the longissimus capitis, and the posterior belly of the digastric muscle?

The mastoid process

The styloid process

The mandibular condyle

The coronoid process

Explanation

The splenius capitis, the longissimus capitis, and the posterior belly of the digastric muscle all attach to the mastoid process, a bony protuberance on the inferior border of the temporal bone. This landmark is also an attachment point for the sternocleidomastoid muscle. The styloid process of the temporal bone is directly anterior to the mastoid process, and is an attachment point for multiple ligaments and the styloglossus muscle, the stylohyoid muscle, and the stylopharyngeus muscle. The mandibular condyle and coronoid process are both part of the mandible and do not form any attachments to the muscles of the neck.

8

You are taking care of a 22-year old basketball player who fractured his clavicle while playing in a game. Which of the following blood vessels is most likely to be compromised by the fractured bone?

Subclavian artery

Internal carotid artery

External carotid artery

Jugular vein

Facial artery

Explanation

The correct answer is "subclavian artery." This is the correct answer because what this question is essentially asking is which of the listed blood vessels is closest to the clavicle, and most likely to be injured by a clavicular fracture based upon its proximity to the clavicle. Of the listed vessels, the subclavian artery is located closest to the clavicle (just inferior to the clavicle bone, as the name, sub-clavian implies). As such, if the clavicle breaks and a sharp fragment is formed, it would be most likely to injure the subclavian artery.

The internal and external carotid arteries, and jugular vein are located within the neck, but more deep and superior to the clavicle than the subclavian artery. The facial artery is located within the face and as such is located very superiorly to the clavicle bone and is unlikely to be involved by a clavicle fracture.

9

Which of the following is the name of the bony landmark that forms the ridge of the brow?

The superciliary arch

The glabella

The orbit

The coronoid process

Explanation

The bony ridge of the brow is formed by the superciliary processes (superciliary means super, or above, cilia, the lens of the eye). The orbit refers to the bony socket in which the eye sits. The glabella is the small depression between the eyebrows where the two superciliary arches meet. The coronoid process is part of the mandible, or jawbone, and unrelated to the brow.

10

What suture joins the frontal bone to the parietal bones?

The coronal suture

The sagittal suture

The frontal suture

The parietal suture

Explanation

The suture that joins the frontal bone to the parietal bones is the coronal suture. The sagittal suture joins the two parietal bones together along the sagittal plane of the skull. There are no sutures named after the frontal or parietal bones themselves.

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