Table of Contents
What is a clivus lesion?
Clival tumors are rare tumors that arise in the clivus, a portion of bone at the base of the skull between the occipital and sphenoid bones. This area is surrounded by essential structures and nerves of the brainstem and important arteries, such as the internal carotid arteries.
What is the function of the clivus?
The clivus protects the brainstem and posterior cranial fossa. A thorough appreciation of the anatomy of these various areas allows for endoscopic endonasal approaches to the skull base 1). Penetration of the clivus is required for surgical access of the brainstem.
What is the clivus in the skull?
The clivus (Latin for “slope”) forms the central skull base. It is formed by the synostosis of the basisphenoid (sphenoid bone) and basiocciput (occipital bone). During early development, the axial sclerotomes of the first somites are integrated into the skull base to form the basioccipital part of the clivus.
Where is the clivus in the brain?
The clivus is located in the midline area of the skull base. It is part of the cranium, formed by the basilar part of the occipital bone and the corpus ossis sphenoidalis.
What causes Clival chordoma?
The underlying causes of chordoma are unknown. Most cases arise spontaneously and are not due to an inherited genetic change. A prevailing theory is that acquired genetic abnormalities or mutations result in cancerous growth of notochordal remnants.
What is clival meningioma?
Petroclival meningioma is a benign and slow-growing tumor that occurs deep within the center of the skull base, which is a very difficult location to reach surgically. Patients may experience headaches, double vision, hearing loss, dizziness, facial pain or numbness, facial weakness, and loss of coordination.
What is a Clival chordoma?
What is a Chordoma? Clival chordomas are locally invasive tumors of the midline skull base. Chordoma are locally invasive slow-growing malignant tumors that arise from the remnant of the primitive notochord. They occur most commonly in the skull base (clivus) and lower spine.
Is chordoma benign or malignant?
Chordomas form from remnants of the notochord — embryonic tissue that eventually forms the center of spinal disks. These tumors are considered malignant and may metastasize, though they typically grow slowly.
How rare is a clival chordoma?
The incidence rate of chordomas is 0.08 per 100,000, with a higher incidence rate of 0.1 in males, versus 0.06 in females. These tumors are rare in patients younger than 40 years [1].
How rare is a Clival chordoma?
Can chordoma be removed?
Clival chordomas are locally invasive tumors that arise in the base of the skull. Clival chordomas are ideally treated with maximal safe surgical removal followed by focused radiotherapy. Fortunately, the majority of clival chordomas can be removed via the nose using an endoscopic endonasal approach.
What is a clival chordoma?
What is a nasoalveolar cyst?
A nasoalveolar cyst is a rare, non-odontogenic soft tissue cyst encountered in the anterior maxillary labial sulcus as an asymptomatic soft tissue swelling. Often, patients with these cysts report them to the dental clinic where they are mistaken for odontogenic lesions by the dental surgeon, especially if concomitant dental problems are present.
What are the radiographic findings of a nasolabial cyst?
The radiographic findings of a cyst in the nasolabial region that is separated from bony structures and teeth is suggestive of a nasolabial cyst. CT. CT shows a well-demarcated, rounded, homogeneous, low-density soft tissue lesion at the nasolabial region. Evidence of scalloping and bone remodeling may be seen. MRI
What is a clival tumor?
Clival tumors are growths on the clivus, a portion of bone at the base of the skull. When clival tumors grow, they may invade and damage important nearby structures: cranial nerves, the internal carotid arteries and the brainstem, for example.
What is a Clivus mass?
Clival masses. The differential of a mass involving or arising from the clivus is a relatively narrow one and can be divided into whether the lesion arises from the skull base itself, the intracranial compartment above or the base of skull below.