Superior aspect of cranium

The upper part of the skull, known as the superior aspect of cranium or norma verticalis, refers to the view of the skull from above. It is primarily made up of the skull cap, also called the calvaria. The bones that contribute to the superior aspect of cranium are the frontal bone at the front, the two parietal bones on either side, and the uppermost part of the occipital bone at the back.

These bones are connected to each other by joints called sutures. For example, the two parietal bones are connected by a midline sagittal suture. Towards the front, there is a coronal suture that runs from side to side, connecting the frontal bone with the parietal bones. Towards the back, there is a lambdoid suture that also runs from side to side, connecting the occipital bone with the parietal bones.

Some notable features of the superior aspect of cranium include the vertex, which is the highest point on the sagittal suture. Bregma is the point where the coronal and sagittal sutures meet, while lambda is the point where the lambdoid and sagittal sutures meet. These points represent the areas where the anterior and posterior fontanelles close, respectively. On each side of the sagittal suture, there are two parietal foramina in the parietal bones. These foramina allow emissary veins from the superficial scalp vein to drain into the superior sagittal sinus. The point on the sagittal suture between the two parietal foramina is called obelion.

On the sides, there are two temporal lines–superior and inferior–which mark the boundaries of the temporal fossa region. These lines arch upwards and backwards, crossing the frontal bone, the coronal suture, and finally passing over the parietal bones.