Head:
Head includes face and cranium.
Lambda:
It corresponds to a slightly depressed area about 7 cm above and in front of the external occipital protruberance.
Inion:
Is the highest point on the external occipital proturberance. Deep to it lies the confluence of the dural venous sinuses at the crux between the cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres.
External occipital protruberance:It can be felt as a palpable projection at the upper end of the nuchal furrow on the back of neck
Nasion:
It is a well marked depression at the root of the nose and is the meeting point of the fronto-nasal and internasal sutures.
Bregma:
It corresponds to the middle point of a line joining the external acoustic meatuses of the two sides across the vertex. It is the meeting point of the sagittal and coronal sutures of the skull.
Supra-orbital notch:
It Is represented at the junction of the rounded medial one-third and sharp lateral two-thirds of the supraorbital margin.
Zygomatic arch:
It is formed by the temporal process of zygomatic bone and the zygomatic process of temporal bone. It is easily felt through the skin, where the cheek and temporal region meet each other.
Pterion:
This is a small circular area where the frontal, sphenoid, parietal and temporal sutures meet. Pterion marks the anterior branch of middle meningeal artery and the Sylvian point of the brain.
Asterion:
It corresponds to a point 4 cm behind the external acoustic meatus and 1.25 cm above a line joing the external acoustic meatus and the inion (meato-inionic line).
Pre-auricular point is situated immediately in front of the upper part of the tragus of the auricle. Pulsation of superficial temporal artery can be felt at this point.
Frankfurt’s plane: This plane is accepted by the physical anthropologists as the standard orientation of the human skulls for the study of characteristics of different races.
Gonion (angle of the mandible):
It can be seen and palpated below and in front of the lobule of the ear.
Mental protruberance is the visible projection of the chin.
SURFACE ANATOMY OF IMP. NERVES-
i. A point midway between the anterior and posterior borders of sternomastoid at the level of cricoid cartilage;
ii. A point at the junction of the clavicle and the posterior border of sternomastoid;
iii. A point just external to the mid-point of the clavicle.
The triangular area formed by joining these points represents supra-clavicular part of the plexusPhrenic nerve (in the neck):
i. A point 3.5 cm from the median plane at the level of the upper border of thyroid cartilage;
ii. A point midway between the anterior and posterior borders of sternomastoid at the level of cricoid cartilage;
iii. A point at the sternal end of clavicle.
cervical course of this nerve can be found by joining these three points.
Vagus nerve (in the neck):
A point below and in front of the tragus; a point at the medial end of the clavicle. Join these points by a line which represents the vagus nerve.
Glossopharyngeal nerve:
A point below and in front of the tragus; a point slightly above the angle of mandible; Join these points by
a line which should be continued along the lower border of mandible for
a short distance.
SURFACE ANATOMY OF IMPORTANT GLANDS -
Parotid gland:
It lies below the external acoustic meatus, and occupies the interval between the ramus of the mandible and the mastoid process with sternomastoid muscle.
Parotid duct:a. A point at the lower border of concha of the ear;
b. Another point midway between the ala of the nose and the red margin of the upper lip;
The parotid duct is represented by the middle- third of a line joining these points
Pituitary gland:
It lies on a straight line joining the nasion with inion at a depth of about 7 cm from the nasion.
Palatine tonsil:
It is represented by an oval area on the masseter muscle about 1.25 cm above and in front of the angle of mandible.
