Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Mastoid fontanelle
Introduction
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.
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.
External links
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]