Return to: Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma
See also: Juvenile Angiofibroma - Rads
Overview
JNA tumors most commonly originate from the sphenopalatine foramen or vidian canal, which are located at the medial or posterior border of the pterygopalatine fossa, respectively. The pterygopalatine fossa can be conceptualized as a pyramid-shaped space posterior to the maxilla's infratemporal surface.
Anatomic Borders of the Pterygopalatine Fossa
| BORDER | BONY STRUCTURE | OPENING | COMMUNICATING SPACE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lateral | open to pterygomaxillary fissure | pterygomaxillary fissure | infratemporal fossa |
| Medial | perpendicular plate of the palatine bone | sphenopalatine foramen | nasal cavity |
| Superior | inferior surface of the spenoid and the orbital plate of the palatine | inferior orbital fissure | orbit |
| Inferior | pyramidal process of the palatine | palatine canal | oral cavity |
| Posterior | pterygoid process of the sphenoid | 1. foramen rotundum 2. pterygoid (vidian) canal 3. pharyngeal canal | 1. middle cranial fossa 2. foramen lacerum 3. nasopharynx |
| Anterior | infratemoral process of maxilla | none | none |
Foramens of the Pterygopalatine Fossa
(anterior-to-posterior view of left pterygopalatine fossa)
Structures contained in Pterygopalatine Fossa
(anterior-to-posterior view of left pterygopalatine fossa)
