Canalis subarcuatis

The petromastoid (or subarcuate) canal is a channel in the petrous temporal bone that joins the mastoid antrum to the posterior cranial fossa. It contains the subarcuate artery and vein .

Classification

The canal has been categorized by its size :

  • type I - invisible
  • type II - less than 0.5 mm width
  • type III - 0.5-1 mm width
  • type IV - greater than 1 mm width

Radiographic features

CT

On petrous temporal bone fine slices, the petromastoid canal is seen as a thin canal between the anterior and posterior part of the superior semicircular canal. It can easily be mistaken for a fracture line.

Siehe auch: