The lambdoid suture is the fibrous joint at the back of the skull between the occipital bone below and the two parietal bones above. It is shaped like the Greek letter lambda, with its apex at lambda in the midline and its arms running down and forward to the asterion on each side. Small extra bones (sutural or Wormian bones) are most often found along this suture.
| Articulations |
|
|---|---|
| Landmarks |
|
| Ossification | A fibrous joint between membrane-formed parietal bones and the upper occipital squama; it usually starts to fuse in middle adulthood. |
Lambdoid craniosynostosis is the rarest single-suture synostosis and causes flattening at the back of the head on one side with a characteristic trapezoid head shape when viewed from above. It must be distinguished from the far more common positional (deformational) plagiocephaly caused by infants lying on one side, which needs repositioning or a helmet rather than surgery. Numerous Wormian bones along the lambdoid suture are associated with conditions such as osteogenesis imperfecta and cleidocranial dysplasia.
Early fusion of one lambdoid suture causing flattening of the back of the head on that side, with the ear on that side pulled backward and downward.
Flattening of the back of an infant's head from lying in one position, with open sutures; it is a key differential diagnosis for lambdoid synostosis and usually improves with repositioning.
This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Some are essential for site functionality, while others help us analyze and improve your usage experience. Please review your options and make your choice.
If you are under 16 years old, please ensure that you have received consent from your parent or guardian for any non-essential cookies.
Your privacy is important to us. You can adjust your cookie settings at any time. For more information about how we use data, please read our privacy policy. You may change your preferences at any time by clicking on the settings button below.
Note that if you choose to disable some types of cookies, it may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Some required resources have been blocked, which can affect third-party services and may cause the site to not function properly.
This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and ensure the site functions properly. By continuing to use this site, you acknowledge and accept our use of cookies.
