Nancy Jane Fischbein MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

1) To review the anatomy of the Central Skull Base. 2) To present common and uncommon pathologies that affect the Central Skull Base. 3) To remind the audience of imaging pitfalls of the Central Skull Base. 4) To discuss the complementary roles of CT and MR in imaging the Central Skull Base.

Imaging of the skull base presents many challenges due to its anatomical complexity, numerous normal variants, and lack of familiarity to many radiologists. As the skull base is a region which is not amenable to physical exam, and as lesions of the skull base are generally difficult to biopsy and even more difficult to operate on, the radiologist plays a major role in directing patient management via accurate image interpretation. Knowledge of the skull base should not be limited to neuroradiologists and head and neck radiologists, however, as the central skull base in particular is routinely included in the field of view when cross-sectionally imaging the brain, cervical spine, or head and neck with CT or MRI, and hence its nuances should be familiar to general radiologists as well. We review the basic anatomy of the central skull base, including bony anatomy as well as the anatomy of adjacent soft tissue structures. We will also present imaging findings of common and uncommon pathologies of the central skull base, including primary tumors such as chordoma and chondrosarcoma, metastases and plasmacytoma, and non-neoplastic lesions of the central skull base. We will review some imaging pitfalls and “don’t touch” lesions of the central skull base, and will emphasize the complementary roles of CT and MR in solving difficult cases.

Fischbein, N, The Central Skull Base.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/13010483.html