Morphological variability of pterion in the human skull

Ital J Anat Embryol. 2003 Apr-Jun;108(2):83-117.

Abstract

The pterion is one of the most interesting bone meeting points in craniofacial osteology and its complex morphology derives from the fact that is the contact point of the facial skeletal elements, skull base and calvarium. Knowledge of its peculiar morphology is mandatory for the pterional approach used in microsurgery and surgery. The Authors studied 506 adult, human skulls where the pterion was accurately reconstructed on polyethylene sheets. They report their data on the morphological analysis and classify the forms. They focussed their attention on the presence of wormian bones at the level of the sphenoparietal suture, on the peculiar existing morphology and reviewed the literature on these classifications. The Authors also evaluated the length of the sphenoparietal suture, the minimum gap between the frontal and temporal, the influence of pteric bones on pterion variability and any correlations between measurements and cranial indexes.

MeSH terms

  • Anthropometry
  • Cranial Sutures / anatomy & histology*
  • Cranial Sutures / physiology
  • Cranial Sutures / surgery
  • Genetic Variation / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Parietal Bone / anatomy & histology*
  • Parietal Bone / physiology
  • Parietal Bone / surgery
  • Skull Base / anatomy & histology
  • Skull Base / physiology
  • Skull Base / surgery
  • Sphenoid Bone / anatomy & histology*
  • Sphenoid Bone / physiology
  • Sphenoid Bone / surgery
  • Temporal Bone / anatomy & histology*
  • Temporal Bone / physiology
  • Temporal Bone / surgery