Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Gaillard F, Lateral craniopharyngeal canal. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 01 May 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-176955
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Frank Gaillard had the following disclosures:
- Biogen Australia Pty Ltd, Investigator-Initiated Research Grant for CAD software in multiple sclerosis: finished Oct 2021 (past)
These were assessed during peer review and were determined to
not be relevant to the changes that were made.
View Frank Gaillard's current disclosures
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Frank Gaillard had the following disclosures:
- Biogen Australia Pty Ltd, Investigator-Initiated Research Grant for CAD software in multiple sclerosis: finished Oct 2021 (past)
These were assessed during peer review and were determined to
not be relevant to the changes that were made.
View Frank Gaillard's current disclosures
The lateral craniopharyngeal canal (also known as the Sternberg canal) is described as a membranous space in the lateral recess of the sphenoid sinus, lateral to foramen rotundum 1.
They are encountered in 0.7% to 4% of CT examination and specimens 1.
Historically, these canals have been suggested by some authors as the precursor of meningoencephalocele found along the medial floor of the middle cranial fossa, sometimes resulting in spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea. How often this is the case is debated, with most such defects located further laterally and found in the presence of idiopathic intracranial hypertension 1,2.
Gross anatomy
The lateral craniopharyngeal canal is believed to occur due to failure of complete fusion at the junction of multiple centers of ossification of the sphenoid bone (alisphenoid, basisphenoid and presphenoid centers of ossification) 1.
History and etymology
Maximilian Sternberg (1863 - 1934) German physician, mathematician and physicist, first suggested the existence of the lateral craniopharyngeal canal in 1888 3,4.
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1. Barañano C, Cure J, Palmer J, Woodworth B. Sternberg's Canal: Fact or Fiction? Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2009;23(2):167-71. doi:10.2500/ajra.2009.23.3290 - Pubmed
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2. Chaaban M, Illing E, Riley K, Woodworth B. Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak Repair: A Five‐year Prospective Evaluation. Laryngoscope. 2013;124(1):70-5. doi:10.1002/lary.24160 - Pubmed
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3. Sternberg M. Ein bisher nicht beschriebener Kanal im Keilbein des Menschen. Anat Anz 23:784–786, 1888
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4. Thakur J, Manzi B, Savardekar A, Singh M, Menger R, Nanda A. Commentary: Maximilian Sternberg (1863-1934): The Man Behind Sternberg's Canal and His Contribution to the Modern-Day Skull Base Anatomy and Neuroscience—Historical Vignette. Neurosurgery. 2018;83(3):E120-4. doi:10.1093/neuros/nyy242 - Pubmed
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