Sphenoidal Fontanelle (Noun)
Meaning
The irregularly shaped area on either side of the cranium where the frontal bone and the anterior tip of the parietal bone and the temporal bone and the greater wing of the sphenoid bone meet; corresponds to the pterion when bones have ossified.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Examples
- The sphenoidal fontanelle is an irregularly shaped area on either side of the cranium where several bones meet in infants before ossification.
- During fetal development, the sphenoidal fontanelle is one of the soft spots that can be felt on the sides of the head.
- The location of the sphenoidal fontanelle corresponds to the pterion when the bones have fully ossified and fused together.
- In some cases, the sphenoidal fontanelle may take longer to close, which can be a normal variation in infant development.
- The sphenoidal fontanelle is usually not palpable after the first year of life as the bones continue to ossify and the fontanelle closes.