The craniopharyngeal canal is a rare congenital defect in the skull which can be associated with a number of problems for the patient.
Definition:
(1) well-corticated defect
(2) midline of sphenoid bone
(3) runs fro sellar floor to anterosuperior nasopharyngeal roof
Purported source: Rathke pouch
Imaging studies are very important for recognizing the canal and any specific features.
Features
Type
incidental
1
with ectopic adenohypophysis
2
with cephaloceles
3A
with tumors
3B
with both cephaloceles and tumors
3C
Tumors that may occur in the canal:
(1) pituitary adenoma
(2) craniopharyngioma
(3) dermoid (mature teratoma)
(4) teratoma
(5) glioma
Associations:
(1) pituitary dysfunction
(2) congenital anomalies
(3) iatrogenic CSF leak after resection of a nasopharyngeal mass
(4) iatrogenic hypopituitarism after resection of a nasopharyngeal mass
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Specialty: Otolaryngology
