Intracranial: Medical Term for Within the Skull

Intracranial

Intracranial = within the cranium (skull). From Latin intra- (within) + cranium (skull).

Structures & Contents

• Brain (cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem)
• Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in ventricles & subarachnoid space
• Meninges (dura, arachnoid, pia)
• Cranial nerves (I–XII)
• Cerebral vasculature (arteries, veins, sinuses)

Common Clinical Uses

• Intracranial pressure (ICP): Pressure within the rigid skull.
• Intracranial hemorrhage: Epidural, subdural, subarachnoid, intraparenchymal.
• Intracranial tumor: Primary (glioma, meningioma) or metastatic.
• Intracranial stenosis: Narrowing of cerebral arteries.

Contrast: Extracranial = outside the skull (e.g., scalp, neck vessels).