Aims and objectives
Arrested pneumatization of the skull base is a developmental anatomical variant of the paranasal sinuses.
Although it is an incidental finding,
severe bone lesions are in the differential diagnosis that can be confusing.
In this study,
arrested pneumatization in the pediatric group was aimed to be discussed with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings.
Methods and materials
From among 550 patients who were admitted for cranial examination to our Hospital’s Radiology Department during 2012 and 2013 with various pre-diagnosis,
CT and MR imaging findings of six patients exhibiting arrested pneumatization were evaluated retrospectively.
The age,
symptoms,
gender of the patients and imaging indications were recorded.
Approval from the local ethics committee was obtained for the study.
CT examinations were performed with the Siemens CT scanner (SOMATOM Spirit).
CT images were obtained with helical scanner in accordance with clinical requirements at the cranial...
Results
The patients ranged in age from 7 to 14 years.
The indications for scanning included NF (neurofibromatosis) type 1 (1/6),
papilledema (2/6),
epilepsy (1/6),
6th nerve palsy (1/6),
and headache (1/6).
Arrested pneumatization was detected incidentally in all patients.
Four patients presented arrested pneumatization of the sphenoid bone (figure 1),
and 2 patients presented arrested pneumatization of the temporal bone (petrous temporal apex) (figure 2).
Neither clivus nor occiput involvement were found in the study group.
Different from other studies in the literature,
two of...
Conclusion
Arrested pneumatization is most frequently observed in relation to sphenoid sinus and is a developmental anomaly observable in normal and/or known accessory pneumatization areas.
It generally manifests itself in the basisphenoid bone and pterygoid process region (1,2),
petrous temporal apex and clivus were also reported areas (3,4).
In fact,
accessory pneumatization areas such as occipital and frontal bones,
as well as maxillary bone have also been defined (1,2).
Whereas in the ethmoid bone,
arrested pneumatization has not been defined likely due to its aeration mechanism...
Personal information
N.Kemal Altinbas MD,
Department of Radiology,Ankara Children's Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital,
Ankara,
Turkey;
[email protected]
Gokhan Gural MD,
Department of Radiology,Ankara Children's Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital,
Ankara,
Turkey;
[email protected]
Altan Gunes MD,
Department of Radiology,Ankara Children's Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital,
Ankara,
Turkey;
[email protected]
Betul E.
Yildiz Derinkuyu MD,
Department of Radiology,Ankara Children's Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital,
Ankara,
Turkey;
[email protected]
Havva Akmaz Unlu MD,
Department of Radiology,Ankara Children's Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital,
Ankara,
Turkey;
[email protected]
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