Superficial temporal artery

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Artery: Superficial temporal artery

Outline of side of face, showing chief surface markings. (Superficial temporal a. visible at center, to left of ear.)
Latin	arteria temporalis superficialis
Gray's	subject #144 559
Supplies	temple, scalp
Source	External carotid artery
Branches	Transverse facial artery Middle temporal artery Anterior auricular branch Frontal branch Parietal branch
Vein	superficial temporal vein
Dorlands/Elsevier	a_61/12156279

"Superficial temporal" redirects here. For the vein, see Superficial temporal vein.

In human anatomy, the superficial temporal artery is a major artery of the head. It arises from the external carotid artery when it bifurcates into the superficial temporal artery and maxillary artery.

Its pulse is palpable superior to the zygomatic arch, anterior and superior to the tragus.

1 Anatomical details
- 1.1 Relations
2 Clinical relevance
3 Additional images
4 External links

[edit] Anatomical details

The superficial temporal artery, the smaller of the two terminal branches of the external carotid, appears, from its direction, to be the continuation of that vessel.

It begins in the substance of the parotid gland, behind the neck of the mandible, and crosses over the posterior root of the zygomatic process of the temporal bone; about 5 cm. above this process it divides into two branches, a frontal and a parietal.

[edit] Relations

As it crosses the zygomatic process, it is covered by the Auricularis anterior muscle, and by a dense fascia; it is crossed by the temporal and zygomatic branches of the facial nerve and one or two veins, and is accompanied by the auriculotemporal nerve, which lies immediately behind it.

[edit] Clinical relevance

The superficial temporal artery is often affected in temporal arteritis and biopsied if the diagnosis is suspected.

[edit] Additional images

Superficial dissection of the right side of the neck, showing the carotid and subclavian arteries.	The arteries of the face and scalp.	Plan of branches of internal maxillary artery.	Plan of branches of internal maxillary artery.
Bloodvessels of the eyelids, front view.

[edit] External links

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 As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated.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.