Purpose or Case Report: A working knowledge of skull base anatomy as well as an understanding of the many lesions encountered in the developing calvarium is a challenging topic for the pediatric radiologist. The spectrum of lesions is vast and includes benign, benign but locally aggressive, and malignant lesions. The purpose of this presentation is to review the imaging findings associated with benign and malignant skull base lesions in children, while discussing their differentiating features.
Methods & Materials: A retrospective review of pediatric skull base lesions was performed using the hospital PACS. A series of cases with identified skull base lesions was collected for review and presentation.
Results: Neuroradiologic examinations of children with identified skull base lesions were collected for review. The distinguishing imaging characteristics of the encountered benign and malignant skull base lesions are presented, including: fibrous dysplasia, petrous apex cholesterol granuloma, sphenoid sinus cholesterol granuloma, radiation changes, Gorham’s disease, inflammatory pseudotumor, juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma, cholesteatoma, craniopharyngioma, chordoma, paraganglioma metastasis, Langerhans cell histiocytosis of the temporal bone, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and neural crest tumor (ganglioneuroblastoma).
Conclusions: Skull base lesions, particularly in children, can pose a diagnostic challenge for the pediatric radiologist. Knowledge of distinguishing characteristics of both common and rare skull base lesions in children can aid the pediatric radiologist in an accurate and clinically relevant diagnosis.