Clivus (anatomy)

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Bone: Clivus (anatomy)
Superior view of the clivus
Longitudinal section of the head and neck showing the anatomical relation of the dens (labeled odontoid process of axis) and clivus (not labeled).
Gray's	subject #35 148
Dorlands / Elsevier	c_40/12244230

Behind the dorsum sellæ is a shallow depression, the clivus, which slopes obliquely backward, and is continuous with the groove on the basilar portion of the occipital bone; it supports the upper part of the pons.

Contents 1 Relation of the clivus and dens 2 See also 3 References 4 External links

Relation of the clivus and dens

The clivus is an important landmark for checking for anatomical atlanto-occipital alignment; the clivus, when viewed on a lateral C-spine X-ray, forms a line which, if extended, is known as the known as Wackenheim's clivus line. Wackenheim's clivus line should pass through the dens of the axis or be tangential to it.^[1]

See also

• Pharyngeal tubercle

References

1. ↑ McKenna DA, Roche CJ, Lee KW, Torreggiani WC, Duddalwar VA. Atlanto-occipital dislocation: case report and discussion. Can J Emerg Med 2006; 8(1):50-3. Available at: link and link. Accessed on: December 7, 2006.

External links

• Clivus at eMedicine Dictionary
• SUNY Labs 22:os-0913 - "Osteology of the Skull: Internal Surface of Skull"
• Diagram at uwo.ca

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

v • d • e Bones of head and neck: the cranium of the skull
Occipital	Squama external (Inion/External occipital protuberance, Nuchal lines) - planes (Occipital, Nuchal) - internal (Cruciform eminence, Internal occipital protuberance, Sagittal sulcus, Internal occipital crest) Lateral parts Condyle (Condyloid fossa, Condylar canal) - Hypoglossal canal - jugular (Jugular process, Jugular tubercle) Basilar part Pharyngeal tubercle Other Foramen magnum
Parietal	Parietal eminence - Temporal line - Parietal foramen
Frontal	Squama Frontal suture - Frontal eminence - external (Superciliary arches, Glabella) - foramina (Supraorbital, Cecum) - Zygomatic process - internal (Sagittal sulcus, Frontal crest) Orbital part Ethmoidal notch - Lacrimal fossa - Trochlear fovea - Frontal sinus - Frontonasal duct
Temporal	Squama Articular tubercle - Suprameatal triangle - Mandibular fossa - Petrotympanic fissure - Zygomatic process Mastoid part Mastoid foramen - Mastoid process (Mastoid cells) - Mastoid notch - Occipital groove - Sigmoid sulcus - Mastoid antrum (Entrance) Petrous part Carotid canal - Facial canal (Hiatus) - Internal auditory meatus - Aqueduct of cochlea - Stylomastoid foramen fossae (Subarcuate fossa, Jugular fossa) - canaliculi (Inferior tympanic, Mastoid) - Styloid process - Petrosquamous suture (note: ossicles in petrous part, but not part of temporal bone) Tympanic part Suprameatal spine
Sphenoid	Surfaces Superior surface: Sella turcica (Dorsum sellae, Tuberculum sellae, Hypophysial fossa, Posterior clinoid processes) - Ethmoidal spine - Chiasmatic groove - Middle clinoid process - Petrosal process - Clivus Lateral surface: Carotid groove - Sphenoidal lingula Anterior surface: Sphenoidal sinuses Great wings foramina (Rotundum, Ovale, Vesalii, Spinosum) - Spine - Infratemporal crest - Sulcus for auditory tube Small wings Superior orbital fissure - Anterior clinoid process - Optic canal Pterygoid processes fossae (Pterygoid, Scaphoid) - pterygoid plates (Lateral, Medial) - Pterygoid canal - Hamulus Other Body - Sphenoidal conchae
Ethmoid	Plates Cribriform plate (Crista galli, Olfactory foramina) - Perpendicular plate Surfaces Lateral surface Orbital lamina - Uncinate process Medial surface Superior nasal concha - Superior meatus - Middle nasal concha - Middle meatus Labyrinth Ethmoid sinus - ethmoidal foramina (Posterior, Anterior)