title: Skull base, orbits, temporal bone, and cranial nerves: anatomy on MR imaging.
abstract: Accurate delineation, diagnosis, and treatment planning of skull base lesions require knowledge of the complex anatomy of the skull base. Because the skull base cannot be directly evaluated, imaging is critical for the diagnosis and management of skull base diseases. Although computed tomography (CT) is excellent for outlining the bony detail, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging provides better soft tissue detail and is helpful for evaluating the adjacent meninges, brain parenchyma, and bone marrow of the skull base. Thus, CT and MR imaging are often used together for evaluating skull base lesions. This article focuses on the radiologic anatomy of the skull base pertinent to MR imaging evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. amorani@med.umich.edu
authors.forename: Ajaykumar C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Morani
authors.forename: Nisha S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Ramani
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wesolowski
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D003391:Cranial Nerves / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009915:Orbit / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012016:Reference Values; D019291:Skull Base / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media