Comprehensive morphometric analysis of the jugular foramen and its septations in cadavers and dry skulls

The jugular foramen (JF) is a complex anatomical region transmitting cranial nerves IX-XI and the internal jugular vein, where variations in its dural and bony septations can influence tumor spread, venous drainage, and surgical access. This study examined the morphology and morphometry of the JF using 200 dry skulls and 39 formalin-fixed cadavers. Extracranial features, including bony septation (BS), jugular dome, and JF-stylomastoid foramen distance, were evaluated in skulls, while intracranial dural septation (DS), sigmoid sinus (SS) diameter, and JF-internal acoustic meatus distance was measured in cadavers. BS was identified in 42.8% of foramina, most commonly Type I (37.3%), followed by Type II (5.0%) and Type III (0.5%). Type I BS predominantly originated from the temporal bone. The jugular dome was bilaterally present in 52.5% of skulls and was significantly deeper in males. The JF was consistently larger on the right in both length and width, while the JF-stylomastoid foramen distance was greater on the left. DS was present in all cadavers, with Type I predominating (89.7%), followed by Type III (3.9%) and Type IV (6.4%), whereas Type II (absence of septation) was not observed. The SS was significantly larger on the right and in males, and the mean JF-internal acoustic meatus distance measured approximately 6 mm bilaterally. These findings highlight distinct JF morphology in the regional anatomical collections emphasizing the importance of understanding anatomical variation for improving radiologic interpretation and ensuring safe skull base surgical approaches.