DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i09.018

Pages: 3272-3276

Pterion is H-shaped sutural junction wherein the frontal and parietal bones superiorly, greater wing of sphenoid and squamous temporal inferiorly of one side meet. It is an important neurosurgical and anthropometric landmark in the temporal fossa. The aim of the study is to determine and map the position of the pterion in relation to two bony landmarks namely the Frontozygomatic suture and the midpoint of zygomatic arch and also to compare the findings on right and left sides. The prospective study was done for a period of two years in the Department of Anatomy at Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences and Research center, Bengaluru. A total of 100 unsexed dry human skulls from bone sets possessed by first year students of Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences and Research center, Bengaluru were evaluated for the position of pterion. Frontozygomatic suture and midpoint of the zygomatic arch were used in locating pterion. The mean distance between the center of the pterion and the fronto-zygomatic suture is 3.062cms on right side and 3.038cms on left side whereas the mean distance between the midpoint of zygomatic arch and pterion is 3.783cms on right side and 3.799cms on left side. No statistically significant side-difference is found in the location of the pterion from the midpoint of the zygomatic arch as well as from the fronto-zygomatic suture. To conclude, the two measurable distances, one from the zygomatic arch and the other from the frontozygomatic suture could be used to precisely determine the center of pterion.