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ANATOMY
Medicine Made Simple
, SKULL
Skull is the skeleton of the head. Skull also includes the mandible
Brain case (calvaria) Facial skeleton
Paired Paired
1. Parietal 2. Temporal 1. Maxilla 2. Zygomatic 3. Nasal 4. Lacrimal 5.Palatine
Unpaired 6.Inferior nasal concha
1. Frontal 2. Occipital 3. Sphenoid 4. Ethmoid
Unpaired
1. Mandible 2. Vomer
SKULL JOINTS
1. Fibrous joints – immovable
2. Few primary cartilaginous joints
3. Pair of synovial joints – temporomandibular joints
Sutures start ossifying from INSIDE between 30 – 40 years
Sutures complete ossification on the outside at about 50 years
EXTERIOR OF THE SKULL
1. Superior view (norma verticalis)
Clinicals
Fontanelle: sites of growth of skull – permits growth
Anterior fontanelle: Lies between four bones. Bounded by
Two parietal bones from behind, the two halves of the
frontal bone lie in front.
Overlies the superior sagittal dural venous sinus.
Closed by 18 months bregma
Posterior fontanelle: Lies between apex of squamous part
of occipital bone & posterior edges of the two parietal
bones.
Closed by 3 months lambda
Sphenoidal & mastoid: Smaller fontanelles at lateral
sides; sphenoidal more anteriorly & mastoid posteriorly
During vaginal delivery, helps to reduce the size of the
skull.
Coronal suture: between frontal & parietal bones
Sagittal suture: between the parietal bones
Lambdoid suture: between occipital & 2 parietal bones
Metopic suture: between 2 frontal bones
Vertex: highest point of sagittal suture
Bregma: coronal & sagittal sutures meet – anterior fontanelle in the foetal skull, closed by 18 months
Lambda: sagittal &lambdoid sutures meet – posterior fontanelle in foetal skull, closed by 3rd month
Parietal eminence- most prominent part of the parietal bone – commonly fractured
Parietal foramina – transmits emissary veins in front of the lambda
Temporal lines begin from zygomatic process of frontal bone and then divide into superior & inferior lines over
parietal bone. Superior line lost over posterior part.
1
ANATOMY
Medicine Made Simple
, SKULL
Skull is the skeleton of the head. Skull also includes the mandible
Brain case (calvaria) Facial skeleton
Paired Paired
1. Parietal 2. Temporal 1. Maxilla 2. Zygomatic 3. Nasal 4. Lacrimal 5.Palatine
Unpaired 6.Inferior nasal concha
1. Frontal 2. Occipital 3. Sphenoid 4. Ethmoid
Unpaired
1. Mandible 2. Vomer
SKULL JOINTS
1. Fibrous joints – immovable
2. Few primary cartilaginous joints
3. Pair of synovial joints – temporomandibular joints
Sutures start ossifying from INSIDE between 30 – 40 years
Sutures complete ossification on the outside at about 50 years
EXTERIOR OF THE SKULL
1. Superior view (norma verticalis)
Clinicals
Fontanelle: sites of growth of skull – permits growth
Anterior fontanelle: Lies between four bones. Bounded by
Two parietal bones from behind, the two halves of the
frontal bone lie in front.
Overlies the superior sagittal dural venous sinus.
Closed by 18 months bregma
Posterior fontanelle: Lies between apex of squamous part
of occipital bone & posterior edges of the two parietal
bones.
Closed by 3 months lambda
Sphenoidal & mastoid: Smaller fontanelles at lateral
sides; sphenoidal more anteriorly & mastoid posteriorly
During vaginal delivery, helps to reduce the size of the
skull.
Coronal suture: between frontal & parietal bones
Sagittal suture: between the parietal bones
Lambdoid suture: between occipital & 2 parietal bones
Metopic suture: between 2 frontal bones
Vertex: highest point of sagittal suture
Bregma: coronal & sagittal sutures meet – anterior fontanelle in the foetal skull, closed by 18 months
Lambda: sagittal &lambdoid sutures meet – posterior fontanelle in foetal skull, closed by 3rd month
Parietal eminence- most prominent part of the parietal bone – commonly fractured
Parietal foramina – transmits emissary veins in front of the lambda
Temporal lines begin from zygomatic process of frontal bone and then divide into superior & inferior lines over
parietal bone. Superior line lost over posterior part.
1
