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Parietal Bone

os parietale

Paired bones forming the upper sides and roof of the cranial vault, the parietal bones articulate with each other at the sagittal suture and with the frontal, temporal, and occipital bones around their borders.

Anatomical Data

Structure & Landmarks

Articulations	Opposite parietal bone at the sagittal suture Frontal bone at the coronal suture Occipital bone at the lambdoid suture Temporal bone at the squamous suture Sphenoid bone at the pterion
Landmarks	Parietal eminence Superior and inferior temporal lines Parietal foramen (variable) Grooves for middle meningeal vessels
Ossification	Membranous ossification from a single centre expanding to cover the lateral calvarium by birth, with the fontanelles closing progressively after birth, the posterior fontanelle by 3 months and the anterior fontanelle by 18 months.

Clinical Relevance

Clinical Notes

The pterion, where the parietal, frontal, temporal, and sphenoid bones meet, is the thinnest region of the skull and overlies the anterior branch of the middle meningeal artery. A blow to the temple at the pterion can fracture the thin bone and lacerate this artery, producing an epidural haematoma that requires emergency neurosurgical evacuation. The thin squamous portion of the parietal bone overlying the temporal lobe is the most common site of penetrating head injury from a lateral blow.

Pathology

Common Injuries & Conditions

Linear Skull Fracture

The parietal bone is the most common site of linear skull vault fractures after a fall or blow to the side of the head; most are managed conservatively unless an underlying haematoma is present.

Depressed Skull Fracture

A focused impact drives a fragment of the parietal vault inward, which may compress or lacerate the brain and need surgical elevation if depressed more than the thickness of the skull.

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