Mastoid foramen
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Mudgal P, Weerakkody Y, Howden W, et al. Mastoid foramen. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 02 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-28256
Permalink:
rID:
28256
Article created:
17 Mar 2014,
Prashant Mudgal
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Prashant Mudgal had no recorded disclosures.
View Prashant Mudgal's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Yuranga Weerakkody had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Yuranga Weerakkody's current disclosures
Revisions:
10 times, by
7 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Mastoidal emissary foramen
- Mastoid emissary foramina
- Mastoid foramina
The mastoid foramen is a variably-present foramen as well as being variable in its size, number and position. Most commonly, it is located near the posterior margin of the mastoid process, within the temporo-occipital suture.
Epidemiology
According one publication the prevalence was as follows 3
single foramina on either side : ~ 62.5 %
double foramina on either side: ~ 22.9 %
triple foramina on either side: ~ 6.2 %.
absent: 8.3 % :
It transmits an emissary vein connecting the suboccipital venous plexus to the sigmoid sinus, and the posterior meningeal artery (a small dural branch of the occipital artery).
References
- 1. Imaging of the Head and Neck. Thieme. (2012) ISBN:3131505311. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Wang C, Lockwood J, Iwanaga J, Dumont A, Bui C, Tubbs R. Comprehensive Review of the Mastoid Foramen. Neurosurg Rev. 2020;44(3):1255-8. doi:10.1007/s10143-020-01329-9 - Pubmed
- 3. Murlimanju B, Chettiar G, Prameela M et al. Mastoid Emissary Foramina: An Anatomical Morphological Study with Discussion on Their Evolutionary and Clinical Implications. Anat Cell Biol. 2014;47(3):202-6. doi:10.5115/acb.2014.47.3.202 - Pubmed
- 4. Hampl M, Kachlik D, Kikalova K et al. Mastoid Foramen, Mastoid Emissary Vein and Clinical Implications in Neurosurgery. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2018;160(7):1473-82. doi:10.1007/s00701-018-3564-2 - Pubmed
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