Arterial grooves

The arterial grooves are indentations in the inner surface of the skull caused by the meningeal arteries. Most of these grooves are created by the middle meningeal artery, which enters the skull through the foramen spinosum and supplies blood to the meninges. Over time, the pulsations of the arteries exert pressure on the bones, resulting in these grooves. These arterial grooves can be found in various bones, such as the parietal bone, frontal bone, temporal bone, and even the sphenoid bone.

The middle meningeal artery is located directly beneath the inner table of the calvaria, within the extradural space. If the skull is fractured on the side, it can cause a rupture of this artery, leading to a life-threatening emergency called extradural or epidural hematoma. It is essential to seek immediate neurosurgical intervention in such cases.