Lesions of the Skull Base

The skull base is the anatomical demarcation between the intracranial compartment and the neck. It can be divided into the anterior, central, and posterior/posterolateral skull base. As this region offers limited access to clinical examination, radiological evaluation in the form of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has become very important in the assessment of the disease processes affecting the skull base. Conditions affecting the skull base in the geriatric population may be categorized broadly and primarily into infections, inflammation, neoplasms, trauma, otodystrophies, and fibro-osseous lesions. Conditions seen in each category are discussed, with an emphasis on their imaging characteristics and highlighting the important features that will assist the reader in differentiating one from another. Some less common diseases are also discussed.