Multiple coexisting variations of skull and cervical spine anatomy in a symptomatic patient - uncommon or uncommonly noticed? A CT-based case study.

Abstract

Introduction: Among many anatomical variations of the skull and cervical spine, some may be an underlying cause of a disease, while others remain clinically silent. The estimated individual prevalences of them differ, but given the available data it is impossible to clarify how frequently they coexist with each other. The following study presents an example of seven anomalies, amongst which at least few have manifested clinically in the examined patient.

Case report: A 35 y.o. Polish woman who suffered from chronic sinusitis was subjected to a computed tomography scan. Mild thickening of the anterior ethmoidal cells' mucosa, bilateral concha bullosa, paradoxical right middle turbinate, bilateral uncinate process pneumatization and arrested pneumatization of sphenoid sinus were found and addressed in context of the reported symptoms. Simultaneously other, clinically silent anatomical anomalies, were found - namely ossification of the anterior petroclinoid ligament, incomplete medial basal canal and bilateral arcuate foramen.

Conclusion: To the best knowledge of the authors, this case report is the first to present such a coexistence of this many various anatomical anomalies, among which some played a crucial part in the chronic sinusitis experienced by the patient. Concurrence of multiple variations in the same anatomical area or functional unit may exacerbate clinical presentation of a patient. Identifying a single anomaly ought to warrant a thorough investigation into any other potentially existing variants.