Sphenoid_bone

Bone: Sphenoid bone
Cranial Bones. Only the end of the wing of the sphenoid bone is visible
Sphenoid bone, upper surface.
Latin	os sphenoidale
Gray\'s	subject #35 147
MeSH	Sphenoid+Bone

The sphenoid bone (from Greek sphenoeides, "wedgelike") is a bone situated at the base of the skull in front of the temporals and basilar part of the occipital bone.

The sphenoid bone somewhat resembles a butterfly or bat with its wings extended.

Contents 1 Portions 2 Named features 3 Additional images 4 See also 5 External links

Portions

It is divided into the following parts:

• a median portion, known as the body of sphenoid bone
• two greater wings and two lesser wings
• Pterygoid processes of the sphenoides which project from it posteriorly (below)

Two sphenoidal conchae are situated at the anterior and posterior part of the body.

Seven bones articulate to form the orbit. The sphenoid bone is one of them, labeled with pink

Named features

Various other named features of the sphenoid bone exist:

• pterygoid notch
• pterygoid fossa
• scaphoid fossa
• vaginal process
• pterygoid hamulus
• pterygoid canal
• pterygospinous process

The skull from the front. The sphenoid is labeled with yellow to the left of the picture, both in the orbit and behind the zygomatic process

Additional images

Illu facial bones.jpg Facial bones.	Gray153.png Lateral wall of nasal cavity, showing ethmoid bone in position.	Gray164.png Sphenoid bone visible center right.	Gray187.png Base of skull. Inferior surface.
Gray188.png Lateral view of the skull.	Gray191.png Horizontal section of nasal and orbital cavities.	Gray193.png Floor of the skull.	Gray196.png Roof, floor, and lateral wall of left nasal cavity.

See also

• Bone terminology
• Ossification of the sphenoid
• Pterygospinal ligament
• Terms for anatomical location

External links

• SUNY Figs 22:01-06 - "Lateral view of skull."

v • d • e Bones of head and neck: the cranium of the skull
Occipital	Squama external (Inion/External occipital protuberance, Nuchal lines) - planes (Occipital, Nuchal) - internal (Cruciform eminence, Internal occipital protuberance, Sagittal sulcus, Internal occipital crest) Lateral parts Condyle (Condyloid fossa, Condylar canal) - Hypoglossal canal - jugular (Jugular process, Jugular tubercle) Basilar part Pharyngeal tubercle Other Foramen magnum
Parietal	Parietal eminence - Temporal line - Parietal foramen
Frontal	Squama Frontal suture - Frontal eminence - external (Superciliary arches, Glabella) - foramina (Supraorbital, Cecum) - Zygomatic process - internal (Sagittal sulcus, Frontal crest) Orbital part Ethmoidal notch - Lacrimal fossa - Trochlear fovea - Frontal sinus - Frontonasal duct
Temporal	Squama Articular tubercle - Suprameatal triangle - Mandibular fossa - Petrotympanic fissure - Zygomatic process Mastoid part Mastoid foramen - Mastoid process (Mastoid cells) - Mastoid notch - Occipital groove - Sigmoid sulcus - Mastoid antrum (Entrance) Petrous part Carotid canal - Facial canal (Hiatus) - Internal auditory meatus - Aqueduct of cochlea - Stylomastoid foramen fossae (Subarcuate fossa, Jugular fossa) - canaliculi (Inferior tympanic, Mastoid) - Styloid process - Petrosquamous suture (note: ossicles in petrous part, but not part of temporal bone) Tympanic part Suprameatal spine
Sphenoid	Surfaces Superior surface: Sella turcica (Dorsum sellae, Tuberculum sellae, Hypophysial fossa, Posterior clinoid processes) - Ethmoidal spine - Chiasmatic groove - Middle clinoid process - Petrosal process - Clivus Lateral surface: Carotid groove - Sphenoidal lingula Anterior surface: Sphenoidal sinuses Great wings foramina (Rotundum, Ovale, Vesalii, Spinosum) - Spine - Infratemporal crest - Sulcus for auditory tube Small wings Superior orbital fissure - Anterior clinoid process - Optic canal Pterygoid processes fossae (Pterygoid, Scaphoid) - pterygoid plates (Lateral, Medial) - Pterygoid canal - Hamulus Other Body - Sphenoidal conchae
Ethmoid	Plates Cribriform plate (Crista galli, Olfactory foramina) - Perpendicular plate Surfaces Lateral surface Orbital lamina - Uncinate process Medial surface Superior nasal concha - Superior meatus - Middle nasal concha - Middle meatus Labyrinth Ethmoid sinus - ethmoidal foramina (Posterior, Anterior)

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray\'s Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

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