Key Terms: Bone Markings and Planes

Crest

• Definition: narrow ridge of bone, usually prominent

Epicondyle

• Definition: raised area on or above condyle

Line

• Definition: narrow ridge of bone, usually less prominent than crest

Process

• Definition: prominence or projection

Spine

• Definition: sharp, slender, often pointed projection

Styloid

• Definition: slender, pointed process

Trochanter

• Definition: very large, blunt, irregularly shaped process

Tubercle

• Definition: small, rounded projection or process

Tuberosity

• Definition: large, rounded projection, may be roughened

Fissure

• Definition: narrow, slit like opening

Foramen

• Definition: round or oval opening through a bone

Fossa

• Definition: shallow, basin like depression in a bone often serves as an articular surface

Groove

• Definition: furrow

Meatus

• Definition: canal like passage

Condyle

• Definition: rounded articular projection

Facet

• Definition: smooth, nearly flat articular surface

Head

• Definition: bony expansion carried on a narrow neck

Ramus

• Definition: arm-like bar of bone

Articulation

• Definition: junction of two or more bones

Suture

• Definition: immovable fibrous joint, primarily in skull

Transverse plane

• Definition: a plane parallel to the ground, dividing the body into inferior and superior parts, aka cross section

Frontal plane

• Definition: a plane perpendicular to the ground that divides the body into anterior and posterior parts

Coronal plane

• Definition: a frontal plane through the head

Sagittal plane

• Definition: a plane perpendicular to the ground that divides the body into left and right parts, aka median plane

Midsagittal plane

• Definition: a sagittal plane located at the midline, dividing body into equal left and right halves

Parasagittal plane

• Definition: sagittal plane offset from the midline