| Bregma | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Details | |
| Precursor | Anterior fontanelle |
| System | Skeletal system |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | bregma |
| TA98 | A02.1.00.016 |
| TA2 | 418 |
| FMA | 264776 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Thebregma is the anatomical point on the skull at which thecoronal suture is intersected perpendicularly by thesagittal suture.
The bregma is located at the intersection of thecoronal suture and thesagittal suture on the superior middle portion of thecalvaria.[1] It is the point where thefrontal bone and the twoparietal bones meet.[1]
The bregma is known as theanterior fontanelle during infancy. The anterior fontanelle is membranous and closes in the first 18-36 months of life.[2]
In thebirth defectcleidocranial dysostosis, theanterior fontanelle never closes to form the bregma.
The bregma is often used as a reference point forstereotactic surgery of thebrain.[3][4] It may be identified by blunt scraping of the surface of the skull and washing to make the meeting point of the sutures clearer.[3]
Examination of an infant includes palpating theanterior fontanelle.[5] It should be flat, soft, and less than 3.5cm across.[5] A sunken fontanelle indicates dehydration, whereas a very tense or bulging anterior fontanelle indicates raised intracranial pressure.
Cranial height is defined as the distance between the bregma and the midpoint of theforamen magnum (the basion).[6] This is strongly linked to more generalgrowth.[6] This can be used to assess the general health of a deceased person as part of anarchaeological excavation, giving information on the health of apopulation.[6]
The word "bregma" comes from the Ancient Greek βρέγμα (brégma), meaning the bone directly above the brain.[7]
This article incorporates text in thepublic domain frompage 135 of the 20th edition ofGray's Anatomy(1918)
