Morphological Study on Shapes of Pterion

Abstract

Background: Pterion is defined as an H-shaped small circular area formed by the junction of four bones: frontal, parietal, temporal and sphenoid on norma lateralis of the skull, Pterion junction has been used as a common extra-cranial landmark for surgeons in microsurgical and surgical approaches towards important pathologies of this region. Pterion is an important landmark for anterior branch of middle meningeal artery, Broca's motor speech area to the left, insula, the lateral cerebral fissure, for the pathologies of optic nerve, orbit, sphenoidal ridge and for the anterior circulation aneurysm and tumors, because of its clinical importance we focused our present study on morphology of shape of pterion. Materials and Methods: A total of 500 pterions were examined from 250 adult dry skulls. The present study was undertaken in adult south Indian skulls from different regions of south India, from different medical colleges. We have observed different shapes of pterion like sphenoparietal frontotemporal, stellate and epipteric. Results: The sutural morphology of the pterion and asterion is important in surgical approaches to the cranial fossae. 250 human skulls of known gender (148 male, 102 female) were examined on both sides. Four types of pterion were observed-sphenoparietal 72.8%, frontotemporal 16.4%, stellate 8.8% and epipteric 2%. Conclusion: The pterion is points of sutural confluence seen in the norma lateralis of the skull. The patterns of formation exhibit population based variations. The sutural morphology of the pterion is important in surgical approaches to the cranial fossae. These findings may helpful in surgical approaches and interventions via the pterion.

Study of Sutural Morphology of Pterion Among Human Adult Nepalese Skulls

“…Havaldar et al 16 in their study documented 39.20% and 33.60% of sphenoparietal pterion on right and left side, similarly 6% and 10.40% frontotemporal,3.20% and 5.60% were stellate and 1.60% and 0.40% were epipteric type on right and left side respectively similar to the present study, our findings also documented highest number of sphenoparietal type followed by frontotemporal and epipteric. This similarity might be because of similarity in region, similar ethnic group, genetic factor.…”

Sutural Morphology of Pterion in Uttarakhand Region

“…However, as imaging techniques continue to develop, it may become possible to use these to determine more precise relationships between bony landmarks and the underlying soft tissues. (10) Sphenoparietal variety was predominant in the human skulls from sources in Gujarat and Awadh area around Lucknow. The present study also showed the same, sphenoparietal variety accounted 81.25% on the right and 86.35% in the left of the skulls of Uttarakhand region.…”

“…The distances between the pterion and the lesser wing of the sphenoid and optic canal are of practical importance in surgical approaches to these regions via the pterion. (10) The knowledge on various pterional sutural types and the location of the pterion in relation to bony anatomical land marks are important while performing micro surgeries or mini craniotomy to approach anterior or middle cranial fossa through pterional approach.…”

Morphometric Study On Pterion And Its Clinical Importance.

“…Skulls with pathologies such as porotic hyperostosis were also excluded. The morphometric measurements were carried out by measuring the distance from the centre of the pterion to six different locations of the skull including, distance from the center of the pterion to the anterior aspect of the frontozygomatic suture -PSFZ, distance from the center of the pterion to the zygomatic angle -PZAN, distance from the center of the pterion to the zygomatic arch -PZA, distance from the center of the pterion to Henle's spine-PH, distance from the center of the pterion to the mastoid process of the temporal bone -PMP, distance from the center of the pterion to the external occipital protuberance -PI[Figure . 1] [9,10,11,12].…”