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Greater wing of sphenoid bone

The greater wing of the sphenoid bone is a large, paired lateral projection of the sphenoid bone, forming a significant portion of the middle cranial fossa, lateral skull wall, and orbital floor. It articulates with the frontal, temporal, parietal, and zygomatic bones and contributes to several key foramina, including the foramen rotundum, foramen ovale, and foramen spinosum, which transmit important cranial nerves and blood vessels. The superior surface forms part of the floor of the middle cranial fossa, while the inferior surface contributes to the infratemporal fossa. The anterior border of the greater wing helps form the lateral wall of the orbit, while its posterior portion blends with the temporal and parietal bones. The greater wing’s complex anatomy makes it a critical landmark in cranial base surgery, neurosurgery, and radiological assessment.

Synonyms

  • Ala major of sphenoid

  • Lateral wing of sphenoid

  • Sphenoid lateral mass

Function

  • Forms part of the middle cranial fossa and lateral skull wall

  • Contributes to the orbit, infratemporal fossa, and cranial foramina

  • Provides passage for cranial nerves (V2, V3) and blood vessels

  • Serves as an attachment site for masticatory and skull base muscles

MRI Appearance
T1-weighted images:

  • Appears as low signal intensity (hypointense) bone relative to surrounding soft tissues

  • Marrow within the sphenoid may appear intermediate signal, depending on fatty content

  • Articulations with neighboring bones are seen as thin hypointense lines

  • Pathology such as tumors or marrow lesions appear as altered signal intensity, often hyperintense if fatty marrow replaced

T2-weighted images:

  • Cortical bone of the greater wing remains hypointense (signal void)

  • Bone marrow shows intermediate to hyperintense signal

  • Useful for identifying edema, neoplastic infiltration, or inflammatory changes

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

  • Fat suppression highlights bone marrow edema or soft tissue lesions

  • Normal cortical bone remains hypointense, while pathologic marrow changes appear bright

CT Appearance

  • Appears as a dense, well-corticated bony structure forming the lateral cranial base, orbital floor, and middle cranial fossa

  • Surrounding air-filled paranasal sinuses and orbital spaces appear hypodense, providing natural contrast

  • Foramina within the greater wing (rotundum, ovale, spinosum) are well visualized

  • Useful for fracture assessment, bone lesions, cranial base surgery planning, and evaluation of tumor invasion

MRI images

Greater wing of sphenoid bone mri axial image -img-00000-00000

CT VRT 3D image

Greater wing of sphenoid

X ray image

X rayGreater wing of sphenoid anatomy image -img-00000-00000