Skull base: jugular foramen syndrome: practice question

A Anatomy question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anatomy · Skull base: jugular foramen syndrome

Sample item

A 45-year-old man with a glomus jugulare tumour has hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, loss of taste over the posterior third of the tongue, and weakness of the right sternocleidomastoid and trapezius. The tongue is normal. Where is the lesion?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Jugular foramen

The glossopharyngeal, vagus and accessory nerves leave the skull together through the jugular foramen, with the internal jugular vein. A lesion there (Vernet syndrome) causes dysphagia, hoarseness, loss of posterior tongue taste and weakness of sternocleidomastoid and trapezius. The hypoglossal nerve exits through a separate canal, so the tongue is normal.

Option by option

  • A. Internal acoustic meatus

    The internal acoustic meatus carries the facial and vestibulocochlear nerves.

  • B. Jugular foramen (correct)

    Correct. Combined IX, X and XI palsy localises to the jugular foramen.

  • C. Foramen rotundum

    The foramen rotundum carries only the maxillary nerve.

  • D. Hypoglossal canal

    The hypoglossal canal carries only the hypoglossal nerve.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Anatomy questions

Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is B, Jugular foramen. The glossopharyngeal, vagus and accessory nerves leave the skull together through the jugular foramen, with the internal jugular vein.

Why is "Internal acoustic meatus" not the answer?

The internal acoustic meatus carries the facial and vestibulocochlear nerves.

Why is "Foramen rotundum" not the answer?

The foramen rotundum carries only the maxillary nerve.

Why is "Hypoglossal canal" not the answer?

The hypoglossal canal carries only the hypoglossal nerve.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Skull base: jugular foramen syndrome in Anatomy. A lesion there (Vernet syndrome) causes dysphagia, hoarseness, loss of posterior tongue taste and weakness of sternocleidomastoid and trapezius. The hypoglossal nerve exits through a separate canal, so the tongue is normal.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Skull base: jugular foramen syndrome?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.