Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Deng F, Elfeky M, Fossa navicularis magna. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 28 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-81948
Fossa navicularis magna, or sometimes simply fossa navicularis, is a variant depression on the ventral/inferior surface of the basioccipital portion of the clivus. It is a notch-like or rounded defect upon which the smaller pharyngeal fossa (foveola pharyngica) is superimposed 1. The prevalence is 1–8% 1,2.
Terminology
Fossa navicularis magna is often confused with canalis basilaris medianus, of which one incomplete type may be called an enlarged pharyngeal fossa. They may both represent the same spectrum of osseous defects presumably related to notochord migration 4-6.
If making a distinction is desired based on their names, it may be more suitable to use "fossa" navicularis magna when the defect is a depression where the opening is wider than it is deep, and "canalis" basilaris medianus when the defect is a tubular structure where the opening is narrower than it is deep.
Fossa navicularis magna should not be confused with the urethral structure of a similar name: fossa navicularis.
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Related pathology
Fossa navicularis magna is generally considered of no clinical significance, but there are rare reports of it acting as a route for infection to spread from the nasopharynx to the skull base and intracranial compartment 6,7.
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1. Beltramello A, Puppini G, El-Dalati G, Girelli M, Cerini R, Sbarbati A, Pacini P. Fossa navicularis magna. (1998) AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology. 19 (9): 1796-8. Pubmed
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2. Bayrak S, Göller Bulut D, Orhan K. Prevalence of anatomical variants in the clivus: fossa navicularis magna, canalis basilaris medianus, and craniopharyngeal canal. (2019) Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA. 41 (4): 477-483. doi:10.1007/s00276-019-02200-3 - Pubmed
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3. Cankal F, Ugur HC, Tekdemir I, Elhan A, Karahan T, Sevim A. Fossa navicularis: anatomic variation at the skull base. (2004) Clinical anatomy (New York, N.Y.). 17 (2): 118-22. doi:10.1002/ca.10191 - Pubmed
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4. Syed AZ, Mupparapu M. Fossa navicularis magna detection on cone-beam computed tomography. (2016) Imaging science in dentistry. 46 (1): 47-51. doi:10.5624/isd.2016.46.1.47 - Pubmed
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5. Ginat DT, Ellika SK, Corrigan J. Multi-detector-row computed tomography imaging of variant skull base foramina. (2013) Journal of computer assisted tomography. 37 (4): 481-5. doi:10.1097/RCT.0b013e318289b370 - Pubmed
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6. Prabhu SP, Zinkus T, Cheng AG, Rahbar R. Clival osteomyelitis resulting from spread of infection through the fossa navicularis magna in a child. (2009) Pediatric radiology. 39 (9): 995-8. doi:10.1007/s00247-009-1283-9 - Pubmed
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7. Segal N, Atamne E, Shelef I, Zamir S, Landau D. Intracranial infection caused by spreading through the fossa naviclaris magna - a case report and review of the literature. (2013) International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology. 77 (12): 1919-21. doi:10.1016/j.ijporl.2013.09.013 - Pubmed
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