Frontal Foramina
Case Detail
Anatomy: Brain-Spine |
![]() Joseph Junewick, MD FACR |
Diagnostic Category: Developmental or Congenital |
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Created: over 8 years ago |
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Updated: over 8 years ago |
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Tags:
PEDS
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Modality/Study Types:
CT
MR
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Activities: ![]() ![]() |
History
1 year old male with developmental delay.
Case Images
Diagnosis
Frontal Foramina
Findings
CT – Paramedian frontal transdiploic defects and posterior fossa arachnoid cyst.
MR – Dysgenesis of corpus callosum, fused thalami, and posterior fossa cyst.
Discussion
Frontal foramina are paired focal osseous deficiencies of the frontal bones. The etiology of frontal foramina is unknown although highly associated with congenital hydrocephalus and other central nervous system malformations (Chiari II, Dandy-Walker) . The frontal plates and metopic suture are otherwise normal. Frontal foramina ossify away from the sutures whereas calvarial ossification progresses toward the sutures. The presence of frontal foramina should prompt search for underlying CNS malformation. Differential considerations include cranium bifidum, lacunar skull, eosinophilic granuloma, and epidermoid.
Reference
Sun JK, LeMay DR, Couldwell WT, et al. Frontal foramina in pediatric skull in cases of congenital hydrocephalus. Radiology (1995):197:497-499