mastoid process

A conical protuberance of the posterior portion of the temporal bone that is situated behind the ear in humans and many other vertebrates and serves as a site of muscle attachment. Also called mastoid bone.

1. A conical protuberance of the posterior portion of the temporal bone that is situated behind the ear and serves as a site of muscle attachment. Also called mastoid bone.
2. The part of the first pharyngeal arch in the embryo, developing into the upper jaw in the embryo.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: process of the temporal bone behind the ear at the base of the skull
  Synonyms: mastoid, mastoidal

Bone: Mastoid process
Side view of head, showing surface relations of bones. (Mastoid process labeled near center.)
Mastoid process
Latin	processus mastoideus ossis temporalis
Gray's	subject #34 141

The mastoid process is a conical prominence projecting from the undersurface of the mastoid portion of the temporal bone. It is located just behind the external acoustic meatus, and lateral to the styloid process. Its size and form vary somewhat; it is larger in the male than in the female.

This process serves for the attachment of the Digastric, Sternocleidomastoid, Splenius capitis, and Longissimus capitis muscles.

The word is derived from the Greek 'masto-', alluding to its resemblance to the breast.

See also

• mastoiditis
• mastoidectomy

External links

• lesson5 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University)

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 As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated.

v • d • e Bones of head and neck: the cranium of the skull (TA A02.1.01-07, GA 2.129) 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)

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