Head and Neck Assessment, With Vision and Hearing Basics

Flashcards covering the anatomy, nerve supply, glands, and assessment techniques for the head, neck, vision, and hearing.

Sagittal suture

The suture that connects the two parietal bones of the skull.

Coronal suture

The suture that separates the frontal bone from the parietal bones.

Parietal bone

One of the two bones forming the bulk of the cranial vault's sides and roof.

Frontal bone

The bone forming the forehead and the superior parts of the eye orbits.

Lambdoidal suture

The suture located between the occipital bone and the parietal bones.

Squamosal suture

The suture joining the temporal bone and the parietal bone.

Mastoid process

A prominent projection of the temporal bone located behind the ear.

Mandible bone

The bone forming the lower jaw.

Temporal artery

A branch of the external carotid artery that supplies blood to the face.

Trigeminal nerve

Also known as cranial nerve $V$, it provides the nerve supply to the head.

Salivary glands

The three pairs of glands in the head: parotid, submandibular, and sublingual.

Central fovea

The central focal point in the retina around which the eye's cones cluster.

Neural pathway of vision

The pathway consisting of the optic nerves, optic chiasm, and optic tracts, which are part of the central nervous system.

Ossicles

Small bones in the middle ear that transmit sound to the oval window.

Inner ear components

Structures including the cochlea, organ of Corti, and the auditory nerve.

Vertebra prominens

The cervical vertebra $C7$, identified by its long and prominent spinous process.

Thyroid gland

Small endocrine gland in the neck, typically not palpable during assessment unless enlarged.

Lymphatic drainage pattern

A specific pattern where node enlargement indicates inflammation or infection located upstream.

Older adult facial changes

Manifestations such as wrinkled or sagging skin, skin lesions, and thinning of hair.

Thyroid cancer prevalence

Condition more common in females than males, with the highest rates among Asian/Pacific Islanders and Whites.

Emergency lymph node characteristics

Nodes that are larger than $1\,cm$, fixed, irregular, hard, or rubbery, requiring investigation for cancer.

Thyroid storm

Also known as thyroid crisis, a state of hypermetabolism in all systems characterized by tachycardia.

Acute bacterial thyroiditis

A condition posing a high risk for airway compromise and thyroid dysfunction.

Cancer risk factors (Head and Neck)

Factors including male gender, age over $50$ years, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption.

Snellen or Allen chart

Standard tools used to assess distance vision.

Jaeger test

An assessment using a specific chart or newsprint to measure near vision.

Whisper test

A clinical technique used to assess hearing acuity.

Thyroid auscultation

A focused assessment technique performed only if the thyroid gland appears to be enlarged.