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Mesocephalic
Mesocephalic means to have a medium sized head. A
medium sized head is the same thing as a normal sized
head. Technically, a mesocephalic head is defined as
having a skull that is able to hold between 1350 and 1450
milliliters and having a cephalic index between 75 and 80.
The terms milliliter and cephalic index are explained below.
A milliliter is one thousandth of a liter, meaning that it takes
one thousand milliliters to equal one liter. One liter is equal
to about one fourth of a gallon. Thus, a milliliter is a very
small amount of liquid.
FEATURED BOOK: Principles of Neurology
A mesocephalic head.
The cephalic index is a rating scale that is used to measure the size of the head. The
cephalic index is obtained by multiplying the maximum width of the head by 100 and
dividing that number by the maximum length of the head. Numbers between 75 and 80 are
normal. Mesocephalic is also known as mesaticephalic, mesocephalous, and
normocephalic.
Mesocephalic comes from the Greek word "mesos" meaning "middle," the Greek word
"kephale" meaning "head," and the Greek word "ikos" meaning "pertaining to." Put the
words together and you have "pertaining to (a) medium head."
Compare mesocephalic to macrocephaly (an abnormally large head), microcephaly (an
abnormally small head), dolichocephaly (an abnormally long head), and brachycephaly (a
head that is too short and broad).
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