Mastoid cells

Mastoid cells
Coronal section of right temporal bone. (Mastoid cells labeled at bottom left.)
Latin	cellulae mastoideae
Gray's	subject #34 142
Artery	stylomastoid artery
Dorlands/Elsevier	c_19/12225682

A section of the mastoid process shows it to be hollowed out into a number of spaces, the mastoid cells, which exhibit the greatest possible variety as to their size and number.

At the upper and front part of the process they are large and irregular and contain air, but toward the lower part they diminish in size, while those at the apex of the process are frequently quite small and contain marrow; occasionally they are entirely absent, and the mastoid is then solid throughout.

Additional images

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  Horizontal section through left ear; upper half of section.

External links

• Template:SUNYCrossSection

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.