MASTOID PROCESS: MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS WITH CORRELATION TO SIDE AND GENDER

The mastoid part is the posterior region of the temporal bone and projects down as the conical mastoid process. It is larger in adult males than in females. Sternocleidomastoid, splenius capitis and longissimus capitis muscles are all attached to its lateral surface. The posterior belly of digastric muscle is attached to a deep mastoid notch on its medial aspect. The occipital artery runs in a shallow occipital groove which lies medial to the mastoid notch. The study was conducted in Department of Anatomy, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, in year 23-24 on 120 dried human skulls out of which 80 were of males and 40 were of females .The study on the parameters of the mastoid process is important in the determination of sex for forensic purposes and anthropologists. Our study concludes that the mean mastoid parameters were more in male skulls than female skulls.