Posterior semicircular canal
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| Posterior semicircular canal | |
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| Interior of right osseous labyrinth. | |
| Latin | canalis semicircularis posterior |
| Gray's | subject #232 1049 |
| Artery | stylomastoid artery |
| MeSH | Semicircular+Canals |
The posterior semicircular canal is a part of the vestibular system and detects rotations of the head in the sagittal plane.
[edit] Structure
It is vertical, like the superior, is directed backward, nearly parallel to the posterior surface of the petrous bone. It is part of the bony labyrinth and is used by the vestibular system to detect rotations of the head in the sagittal plane.
It is the longest of the three canals, measuring from 18 to 22 mm.
Its lower or ampullated end opens into the lower and back part of the vestibule, its upper into the crus commune already mentioned.
[edit] See also
[edit] Additional images
 The cochlea and vestibule, viewed from above. |
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 As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated.
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