title: Skull base osteomyelitis and potential cerebrovascular complications in children.
abstract: Skull base osteomyelitis is an aggressive, life-threatening infection that can be challenging to diagnose and treat. It occurs predominantly in elderly immunocompromised patients, but it has also been reported in children with normal immunological status. Typical skul base osteomyelitis arises as a complication to ear infection mainly involving the temporal bone and is usually caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Atypical or central skul base osteomyelitis originates from paranasal infections, is primarily centred on the clivus and is usually caused by Aspergillus, Pseudomonas, Salmonella or Staphylococcus species. Potential complications include retropharyngeal abscesses, cranial neuropathies, meningitis, intracranial abscesses, sinovenous thrombosis, and carotid artery involvement with or without ischemic infarcts. The purpose of this pictorial essay is to illustrate the spectrum of imaging findings and potential complications of skul base osteomyelitis.
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology Department, G. Gaslini Children's Hospital, Largo G. Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariasavina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Severino
authors.forename: Sidath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liyanage
authors.forename: Vas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Novelli
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cheesborough
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.forename: Roxana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gunny
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012307:Risk Factors; D019291:Skull Base / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*