Temporal bone
Last revised by Derek Smith on 17 Nov 2022
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Mudgal P, Smith D, Hacking C, et al. Temporal bone. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 11 Dec 2023) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-28310
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rID:
28310
Article created:
20 Mar 2014, Prashant Mudgal
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Prashant Mudgal had no recorded disclosures.
View Prashant Mudgal's current disclosuresLast revised:
17 Nov 2022, Derek Smith ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Derek Smith had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Derek Smith's current disclosuresRevisions:
32 times, by 12 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Temporal bone anatomy
- T-bone anatomy
- T bone
The temporal bone is situated on the sides and the base of the cranium and lateral to the temporal lobe of the cerebrum. The temporal bone is one of the most important calvarial and skull base bones.
Gross anatomy
The temporal bone is divided into several main parts/portions 1-3:
- squamous part (temporal squama)
- petrous part (petrous pyramid)
- tympanic part
- mastoid part (usually considered a separate part but it is formed by both the squamous and petrous parts)
In addition, there are several bony projections:
- styloid process (considered a separate part or a component of the petrous part)
- zygomatic process (a component of the squamous part)
- mastoid process (considered a component of the mastoid part or synonymous with it)
The temporal bone can also be divided into otologic zones:
- the medial third of the external auditory canal (part of the external ear)
- middle ear (tympanic cavity)
- inner ear
- internal auditory canal
Articulations
There are four intrinsic fissures between the divisions of the temporal bone 4,5:
- petrosquamous fissure
- petrotympanic (Glaserian) fissure
- tympanosquamous fissure
- tympanomastoid fissure
There are many named extrinsic fissures between the temporal bone and other cranial bones 4,5:
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. Tremble GE. Pneumatization of the temporal bone. (1934) Archives of Otolaryngology. 19 (2): 172. doi:10.1001/archotol.1934.03790020018002
- 4. Kwong Y, Yu D, Shah J. Fracture mimics on temporal bone CT: a guide for the radiologist. (2012) AJR. American journal of roentgenology. 199 (2): 428-34. doi:10.2214/AJR.11.8012 - Pubmed
- 5. Som PM, Curtin HD. Head and Neck Imaging. (2011) ISBN: 9780323053556
- 6. Amy F. Juliano, Daniel T. Ginat, Gul Moonis. Imaging Review of the Temporal Bone: Part I. Anatomy and Inflammatory and Neoplastic Processes. (2013) Radiology. doi:10.1148/radiol.13120733
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Petro-occipital fissure
- Parietotemporal suture
- Zygomatic arch
- Acquired cholesteatoma
- Temporozygomatic suture
- Head ultrasound
- Intramembranous ossification
- Inferior petrosal sinus
- Mastoid foramen
- Tympanic part of temporal bone
- Parietal bone
- Craniofacial fibrous dysplasia
- Squamous part of temporal bone
- Nervus spinosus
- Arnold's nerve
- Inferior tympanic canaliculus
- Base of the skull
- Temporal fossa
- Mandibular fossa
- Tympanomastoid fissure
Cases:
- Extensive pneumatisation of the temporal bones
- Pneumatised petrous apex
- Apparent discontinuity of the roof of the mandibular fossa
- Temporal bone (Gray's illustrations)
- Cholesteatoma - external auditory canal
- Normal temporal bone CT with annotated images
- Middle ear anatomy - annotated CT
- External ear anatomy: annotated CT
- Temporal bone divisions: annotated CT
- Intratemporal facial nerve: annotated CT
Related articles: Anatomy: Head and neck
- skeleton of the head and neck
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cranial vault
- scalp (mnemonic)
- fontanelle
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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
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- frontal bone
- temporal bone
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facial bones
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arterial supply
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common carotid artery
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common carotid artery
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arterial supply
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cranial nerves
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- optic nerve (CN II)
- oculomotor nerve (CN III)
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trigeminal nerve (CN V) (mnemonic)
- trigeminal ganglion
- ophthalmic division
- maxillary division
- mandibular division
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vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
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