Petromastoid canal
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At the time the article was created Ayush Goel had no recorded disclosures.
View Ayush Goel's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Frank Gaillard had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Frank Gaillard's current disclosures- Subarcuate canal
- Antrocerebellar canal of Chatellier
- Subarcuate canaliculus
The petromastoid canal (also known as the subarcuate canaliculus or antrocerebellar canal of Chatellier) is a channel in the petrous temporal bone that joins the mastoid antrum to the posterior cranial fossa. It contains the subarcuate artery and vein 1.
The majority of petromastoid canals are small (<0.5mm diameter in over 50% of cases 1) and sometimes not visualized.
Radiographic features
CT
The petromastoid canal can usually be identified on sufficiently high-quality thin bone-algorithm CT of the temporal bone, although in a minority of patients no canal will be seen. When identified it is seen as a thin canal passing above the horizontal semicircular canal, between the ascending and descending limb of the superior semicircular canal. It usually has a slight anterior convex course 2.
Differential diagnosis
It is important not to mistake the petromastoid canal for a base of skull fracture 2.
References
- 1. Migirov L & Kronenberg J. Radiology of the Petromastoid Canal. Otology & Neurotology. 2006;27(3):410-3. doi:10.1097/00129492-200604000-00019 - Pubmed
- 2. Kwong Y, Yu D, Shah J. Fracture mimics on temporal bone CT: a guide for the radiologist. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2012 Aug;199(2):428-34. doi: 10.2214/AJR.11.8012. PMID: 22826408.
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