Volume 25, Issue 117, November 2021

Anatomical radiographic evaluation of vidian canal and its surrounding structures using Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)

Nasim Shams¹, Mahshid Razavi¹, Saeid Shirafkan¹, Maryam Mohebinia^2♦

¹Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
²Resident of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

^♦Corresponding author
Resident of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

ABSTRACT

Background: Vidian canal (VC) is a vital surgical landmark in endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the Vidian canal location and its anatomic surrounding using CBCT. Materials and methods: This study was a retrospective, cross-sectional research conducted on CBCT images of 100 patients from 2020 to 2021. The images were analyzed on the coronal and axial plane as follows: the length of VC, the VC-VC distance, VC-foramen rotundum (FR) distances, VC pterygopalatine plate (MPP) distance, pattern of VC pneumatization into the sphenoid sinus, location of the VC relative to the medial MPP, the angle of the VC and the palatovaginal canal, and the angle between the posterior of the middle turbinate and the lateral part of the VC. Results: The mean distance of VC-VC was 21.42 ± 3.27mm. The mean distance of VC on the right and left side was 14.43 ± 3.42 and 14.60 ± 3.12mm, respectively. The position of VC relative to MPP was 39.5% medially, 53.5% on the same line, and 11.5% laterally. The pattern of pneumatization showed 24.5% of patients was in grade I pneumatization, 40.5% grade II, 32.5% grade III, and 2.5% grade IV. Conclusion: Preoperative radiographic of skull base is paramount to appropriate surgical procedures. Precise determination of VC and its relationships with surrounding landmarks can reduce the surgical risks and improves the success rates of surgical procedures.

Keywords: Vidian canal; CBCT, palatovaginal canal, pterygoid canal

Medical Science, 2021, 25(117), 2842-2849

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