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Asterion (anatomy)

Asterion (anatomy)

Side view of head, showing surface relations of bones. (Asterion visible at center right.)
Gray's	subject #46 183
Dorlands/Elsevier	a_67/12164991

For other uses, see Asterion (disambiguation)

In human anatomy, the asterion is a visible, so-called craniometric, point on the exposed skull, just behind the ear, where three cranial sutures meet: the lambdoid, parieto-mastoid, and occipito-mastoid sutures.

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In the adult, it lies 4 cm behind and 12 mm above the center of the entrance to the ear canal.

Neurosurgeons use this point to orientate themselves, in order to plan safe entry into the skull for some operations.

Some surgeons call it the "Mercedes point", for its resemblance to the Mercedes-Benz logo.

v • d • e Bones of head and neck: cranial sutures, fontanelles, and related regions
Cranial sutures	Coronal - Lambdoid - Occipitomastoid - Sphenofrontal - Sphenoparietal - Sphenosquamosal - Sphenozygomatic -Squamosal - Zygomaticotemporal - Zygomaticofrontal - Frontal/Metopic - Sagittal - Frontoethmoidal - Petrosquamous - Sphenoethmoidal - Sphenopetrosal
Fontanelles	Anterior fontanelle - Posterior fontanelle
Foramina of multiple bones	Inferior orbital fissure - Foramen lacerum - Jugular foramen - Nasolacrimal canal
Fossae	Anterior cranial fossa - Middle cranial fossa - Posterior cranial fossa - Cranial cavity
Other compound structures	Asterion - Nasion - Pterion - Dacryon - Zygomatic arch - Calvaria - Temporal fossa - Infratemporal fossa - Stephanion - Pterygomaxillary fissure - Pterygopalatine fossa