Styloid process
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Knipe H, Deng F, Hacking C, et al. Styloid process. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 17 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-28371
rID:
28371
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Francis Deng had no recorded disclosures.
View Francis Deng's current disclosures
Revisions:
14 times, by
9 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Styloid part of temporal bone
- Styloid part of the temporal bone
The styloid process of the temporal bone is a slender osseous projection that points anteroinferiorly from the inferior surface of the petrous part of the temporal bone.
It serves as an anchor point for several muscles associated with the tongue and larynx:
- styloglossus muscle
- stylohyoid muscle
- stylopharyngeus muscle
- stylohyoid ligament
- stylomandibular ligament
It should be noted that all of these structures, along with the styloid process itself, develop from the second branchial arch (see branchial apparatus) and combined form the styloid apparatus.
Morphological variants
- type I: normal (less than 30 mm)
- type II: elongated (more than 30 mm)
- type III: pseudoarticulated
- type IV: segmented
Related pathology
Quiz questions
References
- 1. Temporal Bone Imaging. Thieme. ISBN:1588904016. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Gray H. Anatomy of the Human Body, 20th edition. (1918) ISBN:1587341026. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Magat G, Ozcan S. Evaluation of styloid process morphology and calcification types in both genders with different ages and dental status. Journal of Istanbul University Faculty of Dentistry. 51 (2): 29-36. doi:10.17096/jiufd.35768 - Pubmed
- 4. Vadgaonkar R, Murlimanju BV, Prabhu LV, Rai R, Pai MM, Tonse M, Jiji PJ. Morphological study of styloid process of the temporal bone and its clinical implications. Anatomy & cell biology. 48 (3): 195-200. doi:10.5115/acb.2015.48.3.195 - Pubmed
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Eagle syndrome
- Styloid apparatus
- Styloid (disambiguation)
- Stylohyoid ligament
- Inferior tympanic canaliculus
- Glossopharyngeal nerve
- Stylomandibular tunnel
- Stylomandibular ligament
- Stylomastoid foramen
- Superficial layer of the deep cervical fascia
- Branchial apparatus
- Temporal bone
- Stylopharyngeus muscle
- Parotid gland
- Posterior auricular artery
- Retrotympanum
- Parapharyngeal space
Cases:
- Temporal styloid process fracture
- Fall from height
- Atlanto-occipital assimilation
- Styloid ligament calcification (Eagle syndrome)
- Eagle syndrome with compression of the left internal carotid artery
- Eagle syndrome
- Eagle syndrome
- Temporomandibular joint anatomy (medial) (Gray's anatomy)
- Eagle syndrome
- Eagle syndrome with cranial nerve palsies
- Ulnar styloid process fracture
- Long styloid processes
- Eagle syndrome
- Eagle syndrome
- Temporal bone divisions: annotated CT
- Eagle syndrome
- Eagle syndrome
- Styloid apparatus (illustration)
Multiple choice questions:
Related articles: Anatomy: Head and neck
- skeleton of the head and neck
-
cranial vault
- scalp (mnemonic)
- fontanelle
-
sutures
- calvarial
- facial
- frontozygomatic suture
- frontomaxillary suture
- frontolacrimal suture
- frontonasal suture
- temporozygomatic suture
- zygomaticomaxillary suture
- parietotemporal suture (parietomastoid suture)
- occipitotemporal suture (occipitomastoid suture)
- sphenofrontal suture
- sphenozygomatic suture
- spheno-occipital suture (not a true suture)
- lacrimomaxillary suture
- nasomaxillary suture
- internasal suture
- basal/internal
- skull landmarks
- frontal bone
- temporal bone
- parietal bone
- occipital bone
- skull base (foramina)
-
facial bones
- midline single bones
- paired bilateral bones
- cervical spine
- hyoid bone
- laryngeal cartilages
-
cranial vault
- muscles of the head and neck
- muscles of the tongue (mnemonic)
- muscles of mastication
-
facial muscles
- epicranius muscle
- circumorbital and palpebral muscles
- nasal muscles
-
buccolabial muscles
- elevators, retractors and evertors of the upper lip
- levator labii superioris alaeque nasalis muscle
- levator labii superioris muscle
- zygomaticus major muscle
- zygomaticus minor muscle
- levator anguli oris muscle
- malaris muscle
- risorius muscle
- depressors, retractors and evertors of the lower lip
- depressor labii inferioris muscle
- depressor anguli oris muscle
- mentalis muscle
- compound sphincter
-
orbicularis oris muscle
- incisivus labii superioris muscle
- incisivus labii inferioris muscle
-
orbicularis oris muscle
- muscle of mastication
- modiolus
- elevators, retractors and evertors of the upper lip
- muscles of the middle ear
- orbital muscles
- muscles of the soft palate
- pharyngeal muscles
- suprahyoid muscles
- infrahyoid muscles
- intrinsic muscles of the larynx
- muscles of the neck
- platysma muscle
- longus colli muscle
- longus capitis muscle
- scalenus anterior muscle
- scalenus medius muscle
- scalenus posterior muscle
- scalenus pleuralis muscle
- sternocleidomastoid muscle
-
suboccipital muscles
- rectus capitis posterior major muscle
- rectus capitis posterior minor muscle
- obliquus capitis superior muscle
- obliquus capitis inferior muscle
- accessory muscles of the neck
- deep cervical fascia
-
deep spaces of the neck
- anterior cervical space
- buccal space
- carotid space
- danger space
- deep cervical fascia
- infratemporal fossa
- masticator space
- parapharyngeal space
- stylomandibular tunnel
- parotid space
- pharyngeal (superficial) mucosal space
- perivertebral space
- posterior cervical space
- pterygopalatine fossa
- retropharyngeal space
- suprasternal space (of Burns)
- visceral space
- surgical triangles of the neck
- orbit
- ear
- paranasal sinuses
- upper respiratory tract
- viscera of the neck
- blood supply of the head and neck
-
arterial supply
-
common carotid artery
- carotid body
- carotid bifurcation
- subclavian artery
- variants
-
common carotid artery
- venous drainage
-
arterial supply
- innervation of the head and neck
-
cranial nerves
- olfactory nerve (CN I)
- optic nerve (CN II)
- oculomotor nerve (CN III)
- trochlear nerve (CN IV)
-
trigeminal nerve (CN V) (mnemonic)
- trigeminal ganglion
- ophthalmic division
- maxillary division
- mandibular division
- abducens nerve (CN VI)
- facial nerve (CN VII)
-
vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
- vestibular ganglion (Scarpa's ganglion)
- glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
- vagus nerve (CN X)
- (spinal) accessory nerve (CN XI)
- hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
- parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck
- cervical sympathetic ganglia
- greater occipital nerve
- third occipital nerve
-
cervical plexus
- muscular branches
- longus capitis
- longus colli
- scalenes
- geniohyoid
- thyrohyoid
-
ansa cervicalis
- omohyoid (superior and inferior bellies separately)
- sternothyroid
- sternohyoid
- phrenic nerve
- contribution to the accessory nerve (CN XI)
- cutaneous branches
- muscular branches
- brachial plexus
- pharyngeal plexus
-
cranial nerves
- lymphatic drainage of the head and neck
- embryological development of the head and neck
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.