Asterion (anatomy)

Asterion
Side view of head, showing surface relations of bones. (Asterion visible at center right.)
Details
Identifiers
Latin	Asterion
TA	A02.1.00.020
FMA	76625
*Anatomical terminology* [edit on Wikidata]

The asterion is the point on the skull corresponding to the posterior end of the parietomastoid suture.

Location

In human anatomy, the asterion is a visible, so-called craniometric, point on the exposed skull, just behind the ear, where three cranial sutures meet:

or where three cranial bones meet:

In the adult, it lies 4 cm behind and 12 mm above the center of the entrance to the ear canal.

Neurosurgeons use this point to orient themselves, in order to plan safe entry into the skull for some operations.

The asterion receives its name from the Greek ἀστέριον (astērion), meaning "star" or "starry".

The Mercedes point is an alternative term for the asterion, for its resemblance to the Mercedes-Benz logo.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Asterion (anatomy).

Compound structures of skull

Neurocranium	Calvaria Diploë Asterion Pterion Stephanion Inion Bregma Lambda Fossae anterior middle posterior cranial cavity Base of skull Fontanelle anterior posterior sphenoidal mastoid

Facial skeleton	Nasion Gonion

Both	dacryon zygomatic arch temporal fossa infratemporal fossa pterygomaxillary fissure pterygopalatine fossa

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/19/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.