Mastoid notch

Last edit by Alaric Steinmetz on

Synonyms: Mastoid notch

The mastoid notch is a narrow bony groove in the medial part of the mastoid process of the temporal bone.

Anatomy

The mastoid notch serves as the origin of the posterior belly of the digastric muscle.

Clinical relevance

The mastoid notch is an important anatomical landmark for orientation during procedures involving the posterior cranial fossa. The tip of the mastoid notch can be used as an orientation aid for localizing the transition of the Sinus transversus into the Sinus sigmoideus[^1] and can therefore, for example, provide helpful orientation during a retrosigmoid craniotomy.

Figure

Mastoid notch
Depiction of the mastoid notch (MN = mastoid notch), the tip of the mastoid notch (TMN = top mastoid notch), the external acoustic meatus (EAM), and the mastoid process (MP). Figure adapted from Li et al. 2020 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-020-01688-2
Inferior view of the temporal bone
Schematic illustration of the left temporal bone viewed from inferiorly. Figure adapted from Gray's Anatomy, Figure 141.

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