Major Sutures of the Skull

Author: Scott A. Sheffield MS

Last update:

Introduction to the Sutures of the Skull:

image descriptionSutures (L., sutura, from suere ‘to sew’) are junctions (or lines of articulation) between adjacent bones of the skull.

Skull sutures - posterior and lateral views
Skull sutures - posterior and lateral views
Skull sutures - posterior and lateral views
1
2
3
  • They are rigidly held together by fibrous connective tissue.

Major Sutures:

  1. image descriptionCoronal suture – the junction between the frontal and parietal bones. [image descriptionLateral view]
skull sutures - lateral view
coronal suture - lateral view
coronal suture - lateral view - divisions
The coronal suture
1
2
3
  1. image descriptionSquamousal suture – the junction between the parietal and temporal bones. [image descriptionLateral view]
skull sutures - lateral view
squamousal suture - lateral view
squamousal suture - lateral view - divisions
The squamousal suture
1
2
3
  1. image descriptionLambdoidal suture – the junction between the parietal and occipital bones. [image descriptionLateral view]
skull sutures - lateral view
lambdoidal suture - lateral view
lambdoidal suture - lateral view - divisons
1
2
3

Other Sutures:

  1. image descriptionSphenofrontal suture – the junction between the sphenoid and frontal bones. [image descriptionLateral view]
skull sutures - lateral view
sphenofrontal suture - lateral view
sphenofrontal suture - lateral view - divisions
1
2
3
  1. image descriptionSphenosquamousal suture – the junction between the sphenoid and temporal bones. [image descriptionLateral view]
skull sutures - lateral view
sphenosquamousal suture - lateral view
sphenosquamousal suture - lateral view - divisions
1
2
3
  1. image descriptionSphenoparietal suture – the junction between the sphenoid and parietal bones. [image descriptionLateral view]
skull sutures - lateral view
sphenoparietal suture - lateral view
sphenoparietal suture - lateral view - divisions
1
2
3
  1. image descriptionParietomastoid suture – the juntion between the parietal and temporal bones. [image descriptionLateral view]

Accelerate your skull anatomy knowledge with these interactive quizzes, diagrams and labelling activities. 

skull sutures - lateral view
parietomastoid suture - lateral view
parietomastoid suture - lateral view - divisions
1
2
3
  1. image descriptionOccipitomastoid suture – the junction between the occipital and temporal bones. [image descriptionLateral view]
skull sutures - lateral view
occipitomastoid suture - lateral view
occipitomastoid suture - lateral view - divisions
1
2
3

Major Sutures:

  1. image descriptionSagittal suture – the junction between the two parietal bones. [image descriptionPosterior view]
skull sutures - posterior view
sagittal suture - posterior view
sagittal suture - posterior view - divisions
1
2
3
  1. image descriptionLambdoidal suture – the junction between the parietal bones and the occipital bone. [image descriptionPosterior view]
skull sutures - posterior view
lambdoidal suture - posterior view
lambdoidal suture - posterior view - divisions
1
2
3

Other Sutures:

  1. image descriptionParietomastoid suture – the junction between the parietal and temporal bones. [image descriptionPosterior view]
skull sutures - posterior view
parietomastoid suture - posterior view
parietomastoid suture - posterior view - divisions
1
2
3
  1. image descriptionOccipitomastoid suture – the junction between the occipital and temporal bones. [image descriptionPosterior view]
skull sutures - posterior view
occipitomastoid suture - posterior view
occipitomastoid suture - posterior view - divisions
1
2
3

Test yourself:

Lateral view: [image descriptionShow/image descriptionHide answers]

test yourself skull sutures - lateral view
test yourself skull sutures - lateral view - answers
Test yourself - lateral view
1
2

Test yourself:

Posterior view: [image descriptionShow/image descriptionHide answers]

test yourself skull sutures - posterior view - answers
Test yourself - posterior view
1
2

Interactive quiz about the sutures of the skull

Skull Sutures Quiz