Craniopharyngeal Canal

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

To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.