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Midface Hypoplasia and Cranial Base Morphology in Syndromic Craniosynostosis: A Comparative Analysis Study Using a Predictive Regression Model
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The developing spheno-occipital skull base: developmental variants and embryologic remnants that mimic pathology in

Carmen R Cerron-Vela1, Marcus Meneses2, Bethelhem Belachew2

  • 1Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. cerronvelc@chop.edu.

Pediatric Radiology
|August 8, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric skull base imaging can be tricky due to normal developmental variants. This review helps radiologists distinguish these benign findings from actual pathology in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Radiology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Skull Base Anatomy

Background:

  • The pediatric skull base undergoes complex development from fetal stages to adolescence.
  • Normal developmental variants and embryonic remnants can mimic pathology on imaging.
  • Accurate interpretation is crucial for appropriate patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the embryologic basis of common pediatric skull base developmental variants.
  • To describe the characteristic imaging appearance of these variants.
  • To aid radiologists in differentiating benign variants from true pathology.

Main Methods:

  • Review of embryologic development of the pediatric skull base.
  • Analysis of imaging features of common developmental variants.
  • Correlation of imaging findings with embryologic origins.

Main Results:

  • Detailed description of variants related to synchondroses, clefts, foramina, notochordal remnants, and pneumatization.
  • Emphasis on age-dependent imaging findings.
  • Key features to differentiate variants from pathology are highlighted.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the embryologic basis is key to interpreting pediatric skull base imaging.
  • Radiologists can confidently distinguish benign developmental variants from pathology with this knowledge.
  • This review serves as a reference for accurate diagnosis in pediatric skull base imaging.

Keywords:
Developmental variantsEmbryonic remnantsSpheno-occipital skull base

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