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Insights into Imaging
Published in: Insights into Imaging 4/2016

Open Access 01-08-2016 | Pictorial Review

The pterygopalatine fossa: imaging anatomy, communications, and pathology revisited

Authors: Sonam Tashi, Bela S. Purohit, Minerva Becker, Pravin Mundada

Published in: Insights into Imaging | Issue 4/2016

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Abstract

The pterygopalatine fossa (PPF) is a small, clinically inaccessible, fat-filled space located in the deep face that serves as a major neurovascular crossroad between the oral cavity, nasal cavity, nasopharynx, orbit, masticator space, and the middle cranial fossa. Due to its inherent complex location and connections, it can potentially act as a natural conduit for the spread of inflammatory and neoplastic diseases across the various deep spaces in the head and neck. This review aims to acquaint the reader with the imaging anatomy of the PPF, its important communications, and to identify some major pathological conditions that can involve the PPF, especially in conditions where its involvement can have serious diagnostic and therapeutic implications, such as in perineural tumour spread.

Teaching points

• The PPF is a small neurovascular junction in the deep face with important to-and-fro connections.
• Awareness of anatomy of the PPF and its communications helps to simplify imaging of its pathology.
• Perineural tumour spread is clinically the most important pathology in this region.
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Metadata
Title
The pterygopalatine fossa: imaging anatomy, communications, and pathology revisited
Authors
Sonam Tashi
Bela S. Purohit
Minerva Becker
Pravin Mundada
Publication date
01-08-2016
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Insights into Imaging / Issue 4/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1869-4101
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13244-016-0498-1

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