Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Neuroradiology brain, MR, CT, Surgery, Hernia
Authors:
S. Pollice1, R. Stanzione1, F. Quinto2, N. Maggialetti3, M. Maiorano4, T. Scarabino5; 1Andria/IT, 2Corato/IT, 3Molfetta/IT, 4Andria (BA)/IT, 5S.Giovanni Rotondo/IT
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2013/C-0060
Background
Meningoencephaloceles are a congenital or acquired malformation characterized by protrusion of the meninges and brain tissue through a defect of the skeleton of the skull.
CLASSIFICATION
According to their location are classified as: occipital,
sincipital (naso-frontal,
naso-ethmoidal,
nasal-orbital),
of the cranial vault,
of the posterior fossa and of the skull base.
Have an incidence of between 0.1 and 0.5 in every 1000 live births with no significant gender differences.
Has not been demonstrated familiarity.
MENINGOENCEPHALOCELES OF THE BASE
Meningoencephaloceles of the base of the skull represent about 1.5 - 10% of all encephaloceles with an incidence of approximately about 1 in every 35,000 live births.
In accordance with the classification of Suwanela and Suwanela of 1972,
as subsequently modified by Gerhardt in 1979,
are divided into four sub-types: trans-ethmoidal,
spheno-ethmoidal,
trans-sphenoidal and spheno-orbital.
Abiko et al further distinguished two types of transsphenoidal meningoencephaloceles: the intrasphenoidal and the true transsphenoidal. The first one describes meningoencephaloceles extending into the sphenoid sinus but restricted by its floor.
The latter describes encephaloceles traversing the floor of the sphenoid sinus and protruding into the nasal cavity or nasopharynx.