Anatomical Terminology- General Bone Features

Eminence

A bony projection; usually not as prominent as a process. Ex. The articular eminence of the temporal bone is the rounded area with which the mandibular condyle articulates during chewing.

Process

A bony prominence. Ex. The mastoid process

Torus (pl. tori)

A bony thickening. The supraorbital torus on some Homo erectus frontal bones is very thick.

Ramus (pl. rami)

A branch. The pubic bone splits into tow rami around the obturator foramen.

Hamulus

A hook shaped projection. The hamulus of the wrist's hamate bone gives the bone its name.

Head

A large, rounded, usually articular end of a bone. The head of the humerus is the superior end of the bone.

Tuberosity

A large, usually rugose eminence of variable shape; often a site tendon or ligament attachment. Ex The deltoid tuberosity marks the shaft of the humerus.

Ridge

A linear bony elevation, often roughened. The lateral supracondylar ridge of the humerus borders the bone above the lateral epicondyle.

Epicondyle

A nonarticular projection adjacent to a condyle. The lateral epicondyle of the humerus is located just proximal to the elbow adjacent to the lateral condylar surface.

Crest

A prominent, usually sharp and thin ridge of bone; often formed between adjacent muscle masses. The sagittal crest is a structure on the skull that forms during the development of large temporalis muscles in the gorilla.

Line

A raised linear surface, not as thick as a torus or as sharp as a crest. The inferior temporal lines mark the superior extent of the temporal muscles

Condyle

A rounded articular process. The occipital condyles lie on the base of the cranium and articulate with the uppermost vertebra, the atlas

Malleolus (pl. malleoli)

A rounded protuberance adjacent to the ankle joint. It is easy to palpate both lateral and medial malleoli.

Facet

A small articular surface on a bone, or tooth-to-tooth contact. Bodies of the thoracic vertebra have facets for articulation with the heads of ribs. Occlusal facets from on the chewing surgaces of the teeth shortly after crown eruption.

Tubercle

A small, usually rugose eminence; often a site of tendon or ligament attachment. Ex. The conoid tubercle is found along the inferior edge of the clavicle.

Boss

A smooth, round, broad eminence. Femael skulls tend to show more bossing of the frontal bone than those of males.

Spine

Generally, a longer, thinner, sharper process than an eminence. Synonomous with spinous process.

Trochanter

One of two large, prominent, blunt, rugose processes found only on the femur. Ex. The larger of these is called the greater trochanter, the smaller is the lesser trochanter.

Epiphysis (pl. epiphyses)

In general usage, usually the end portion or extremity of a long bone that is expanded for articulation. The proximal epiphysis of the tibia is the expanded end of the bone that articulates with the femur.

Shaft, or diaphysis (pl. diaphyses)

The long, straight sectionbetween the ends of a long bone. The femoral shaft is roughly circular in cross section.

Articulation

An area where adjacent bones are in contact at a joint. The proximal surfaces of the tibia are said to articulate with the distal end of the femur.

Neck

The section of a bone between the head and the shaft. The neck of the femur is long relative to the size of the femoral head in some early hominids.