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The anatomical and clinical details of the pterygoid canal: a three-dimensional reconstructive virtual anatomic evaluation based on CT

  • Anatomic Bases of Medical, Radiological and Surgical Techniques
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Abstract

Purpose

To delineate the pterygoid canal (PC) configuration and its position in relation to surrounding important anatomical landmarks using three-dimensional reconstructive technology based on CT for the Chinese.

Methods

The computerized tomography arteriography (CTA) data of 137 patients were retrospectively evaluated using neuroimaging three-dimensional reconstructive software. The morphological parameters of the PC as well as the spatial relationship and distance between the PC relative to internal carotid artery (ICA) and the foramen rotundum were evaluated.

Results

83.9 % of the PC can be identified by our neuroimaging three-dimensional reconstructive software. The mean distance from the PC to the ICA was 2.6 ± 1.2 mm. The mean distance between medial aspects of bilateral ICA was 19.6 ± 2.7 mm. The distal vertical and horizontal distances between the PC and foramen rotundum were 5.2 ± 3.2 and 6.1 ± 2.8 mm, respectively. All the proximal end of the PC were inferior-lateral to the ICA. The PC mainly (92.9 %) ran posteriorly with a medial to lateral direction. The distance from the PC to ICA was positively correlated with the distance between bilateral ICA and the distal diameter of the PC. The vertical distance between the PC and foramen rotundum was positively correlated with the length of the PC and the horizontal distance between the PC and foramen rotundum.

Conclusions

Understanding the configuration and spatial relationship of the PC may be helpful to improve the accuracy and safety of operation during the expanded transnasal endoscopic approaches to skull base. The three-dimensional reconstructive virtual anatomic technology may be a useful tool to delineate the PC configuration and its position to surrounding important anatomical landmarks.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81271314), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong (No. 5300468), and Special Project on the Integration of Industry, Education and Research of Guangdong Province and Ministry of Education (No. 2012B091100154).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The National Key Clinic Specialty, Department of Neurosurgery, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China

    Zhenghao Fu, Yizhao Chen, Weiping Jiang, Shuo Yang, Wangming Zhang, Shizhong Zhang & Yiquan Ke

  2. Department of Radiology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China

    Jing Zhang

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China

    Weiping Jiang

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  1. Zhenghao Fu
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  2. Yizhao Chen
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  4. Shuo Yang
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  5. Jing Zhang
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  6. Wangming Zhang
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  7. Shizhong Zhang
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Correspondence to Yizhao Chen.

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Fu, Z., Chen, Y., Jiang, W. et al. The anatomical and clinical details of the pterygoid canal: a three-dimensional reconstructive virtual anatomic evaluation based on CT. Surg Radiol Anat 36, 181–188 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-013-1161-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-013-1161-x

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