A practical overview of CT and MRI features of developmental, inflammatory, and neoplastic lesions of the sphenoid body and clivus

Cosimo Nardi; Davide Maraghelli; Michele Pietragalla; Elisa Scola; Luca Giovanni Locatello; Giandomenico Maggiore; Oreste Gallo; Maurizio Bartolucci

doi:10.1007/s00234-022-02986-x

A practical overview of CT and MRI features of developmental, inflammatory, and neoplastic lesions of the sphenoid body and clivus

Neuroradiology. 2022 Aug;64(8):1483-1509. doi: 10.1007/s00234-022-02986-x. Epub 2022 Jun 3.

Authors

Cosimo Nardi¹, Davide Maraghelli², Michele Pietragalla², Elisa Scola³, Luca Giovanni Locatello⁴, Giandomenico Maggiore⁴, Oreste Gallo^{4

5}, Maurizio Bartolucci⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Radiodiagnostic Unit N. 2, University of Florence - Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy. cosimo.nardi@unifi.it.
² Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Radiodiagnostic Unit N. 2, University of Florence - Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy.
³ Department of Neuroradiology, Careggi University Hospital, Largo Piero Palagi 1, 50134, Florence, Italy.
⁴ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Careggi University Hospital, Via Taddeo Alderotti, 50139, Florence, Italy.
⁵ Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence - Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy.
⁶ Department of Radiology, Azienda USL Toscana Centro, Santo Stefano Hospital, Via Suor Niccolina Infermiera, 20/22, 59100, Prato, Italy.

Abstract

The sphenoid bone is an unpaired bone that contributes to the formation of the skull base. Despite the enormous progress in transnasal endoscopic visualisation, imaging techniques remain the cornerstones to characterise any pathological condition arising in this area. In the present review, we offer a bird's-eye view of the developmental, inflammatory, and neoplastic alterations affecting the sphenoid body and clivus, with the aim to propose a practical diagnostic aid for radiologists based on clinico-epidemiological, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging features.

Keywords: Cancer; Clivus; Computed tomography; Magnetic resonance imaging; Sphenoid bone.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Cranial Fossa, Posterior* / diagnostic imaging
Cranial Fossa, Posterior* / pathology
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
Skull Base*
Sphenoid Bone / diagnostic imaging
Sphenoid Bone / pathology
Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods