The normal jugular spur, jugular foramen, and jugular bulb as visualized on skull and temporal bone radiographs

Special jugular foramen views or tomography are generally used to radiographically delineate the jugular spur, jugular fossa, and jugular foramen. Details of this area are not ordinarily searched for by the radiologist on skull films nor otoroentgen views of the temporal bone for various reasons: attention to certain small "key-areas," rectilinear distortion, superimposition of neighboring structures, radiodensity of the petrous pyramid, etc. This paper outlines the radiographic anatomy of the jugular area and details its appearance on plain skull films (AP, PA, and submentovertical projections) and on special views of the temporal bone (Schuller's, Owen's, Mayer's, Stenvers', Low-Beer's).