Pterion

Pterion
Side view of head, showing surface relations of bones (Pterion labeled at center)
Side view of the skull with arrow pointing to the Pterion
Details
Latin	Pterion
Identifiers
Dorlands /Elsevier	p_41/12678391
TA
TH	{{#property:P1694}}
TE	{{#property:P1693}}
FMA	{{#property:P1402}}
Anatomical terminology [[[d:|edit on Wikidata]]]

The pterion is the region where the frontal, parietal, temporal, and sphenoid join together. It is located on the side of the skull, just behind the temple.

Structure

The pterion is located in the temporal fossa, approximately 2.6 cm behind and 1.3 cm above the posterolateral margin of the frontozygomatic suture.

It is the junction between four bones:

• the parietal bone
• the squamous part of temporal bone
• the greater wing of sphenoid bone
• the frontal bone

These bones are typically joined by three cranial sutures:

• the sphenoparietal suture joins the sphenoid and parietal bones
• the coronal suture joins the frontal bone to the sphenoid and parietal bones
• the squamous suture joins the temporal bone to the sphenoid and parietal bones

Clinical significance

The pterion is known as the weakest part of the skull. The anterior division of the middle meningeal artery runs underneath the pterion. Consequently, a traumatic blow to the pterion may rupture the middle meningeal artery causing an epidural haematoma. The pterion may also be fractured indirectly by blows to the top or back of the head that place sufficient force on the skull to fracture the pterion.

Etymology

The pterion receives its name from the Greek root pteron, meaning wing. In Greek mythology, Hermes, messenger of the gods, was enabled to fly by winged sandals, and wings on his head, which were attached at the pterion.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

External links

• Anatomy figure: 22:01-04 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
• Diagram - look for #24 (source here)