The surfaces of the bones present a great variety of eminences and
depressions, as well as perforations. The prominences and cavities may
be articular, or non-articular, furnishing attachment to muscles,
tendons, ligaments or fascia. A number of descriptive terms are used to
designate these features, and the following are some of those in general
use:
=Process= (Processus) is a general term for a prominence.
A =tuberosity= (Tuber, Tuberositas) is a large, rounded projection; a
=tubercle= (Tuberculum) is a smaller one.
The term =trochanter= is applied to a few prominences, _e. g._, the
trochanters of the femur.
A =spine= (Spina) or =spinous process= (Processus spinosus) is a pointed
projection.
A =crest= (Crista) is a sharp ridge.
A =line= (Linea) is a very small ridge.
A =head= (Caput) is a rounded articular enlargement at the end of a
bone; it may be joined to the shaft by a constricted part, the =neck=
(Collum).
A =condyle= (Condylus) is an articular eminence which is somewhat
cylindrical; a non-articular projection in connection with a condyle may
be termed an =epicondyle=.
A =trochlea= is a pulley-like articular mass.
A =glenoid cavity= (Cavitas glenoidalis) is a shallow articular
depression, and a =cotyloid cavity= or =acetabulum= is a deeper one.
The term =facet= is commonly applied to articular surfaces of small
extent, especially when they are not strongly concave or convex.
The terms =fossa=, =fovea=, =groove= or =sulcus=, and =impression= are
applied to various forms of depressions.
A =foramen= is a perforation for the transmission of vessels, nerves,
etc.
A =sinus= or =antrum= is an air-cavity.
Other terms, such as =canal=, =fissure=, =notch=, etc., require no
explanation.[3]