title: [Lacunae of the occipital bone. Radiological aspects of normal anatomical variants].
abstract: Sixteen patients with lacunar alterations of the squamous occipital bone were studied in various radiographic projections; in many cases tomography and technetium 99m bone scan studies were also performed. In 7 cases lacunae in the cerebral fossa were observed, with an average diameter of 3 cm. These defects were due to a thinning of the inner table of the theca. In 9 cases smaller lacunae were demonstrated bilaterally, which were more radiolucent, isolated or confluent, located in the area corresponding to the internal occipital protuberance at the ridges of the cruciform eminence. The latter were representative of diploic venous lakes, as best demonstrated in lateral projection. This kind of lacunae are considered as anatomic variants, because no bone destruction is demonstrable, as confirmed by technetium scintigraphy.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Radioterapia L. Galvani, Università, Bologna.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sciascia
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pavlica
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging
vernacular_title: Lacune dell'osso occipitale. Aspetti radiologici di varianti anatomiche normali.