Osseous Anatomy of the Optic Canals (Computed Tomography: Bone Windows with Reconstructions)

Samuel Bidot, MD Amit M. Saindane, MD Valérie Biousse, MD Optic canal seen through the orbit: frontal view Superior orbital fissure Optic canal

Inferior orbital fissure

Frontal bone Lacrimal bone Ethmoid bone Zygomatic bone

Sphenoid bone Maxillary bone Nasal bone Optic canal seen from the intracranial side

Jugum Superior and inferior roots of the lesser wing

Optic foramen

Anterior clinoid process

Greater wing of the sphenoid

Lesser wing of the sphenoid

Body of the sphenoid Superior orbital fissures Optic canal seen from the intracranial side

Tuberculum Chiasmatic sella groove

Optic foramen Sella turcica Dorsum sella

Superior orbital fissure

Frontal bone Lesser wing of the sphenoid

Cribriform plate Greater wing of the sphenoid Body of the sphenoid Optic canal : axial cut

Zygomatic bone

Sphenoid sinuses

Optic canals

Greater wing of the sphenoid

Superior orbital fissure Anterior clinoid process Tuberculum sella Optic canal : oblique coronal cut

Ethmoid sinuse

Right optic Left orbit canal

Sphenoid sinus

Lateral wall (inferior root of the sphenoid [strut])

Medial wall (body of the sphenoid) Superior wall (superior root of the sphenoid) Course of the optic canals:

antero-lateral view Tuberculum sella Dorsum sella

Anterior clinoid Optic canals process Sphenoid (cut) sinus Inferior Superior orbital orbital fissure fissure

Ethmoid bone Nasal bone Lacrimal bone Floor of the orbit

Sphenoid bone Maxillary bone Zygomatic bone Course of the optic canals: postero-superior view Greater wing of the sphenoid

Lesser wing of the sphenoid

Body of the sphenoid

Ethmoid bone

Inferior orbital fissures

Optic canals

Sphenoid sinus Anterior clinoid process (cut) Chiasmatic groove Tuberculum sella Course of the optic nerves in the optic canals