Osseous Anatomy of the Optic Canals

Samuel Bidot, MD Amit M. Saindane, MD

Valérie Biousse, MD

(Computed Tomography: Bone Windows with Reconstructions)

Optic canal seen through the orbit: frontal view

Frontal bone

Nasal bone

Ethmoid bone Lacrimal bone

Sphenoid bone Maxillary bone

Zygomatic bone

Optic canal Superior orbital fissure

Inferior orbital fissure

Greater wing of the sphenoid

Lesser wing of the sphenoid

Body of the sphenoid

Jugum

Anterior clinoid process

Superior orbital fissures

Superior and inferior roots of the lesser

wing

Optic foramen

Optic canal seen from the intracranial side

Superior orbital fissure

Dorsum sella

Tuberculum sella

Chiasmatic groove

Optic foramen

Frontal bone

Cribriform plate

Lesser wing of the sphenoid

Greater wing of the sphenoid Body of the sphenoid

Sella turcica

Optic canal seen from the intracranial side

Optic canal : axial cut

Superior orbital fissure

Zygomatic bone

Greater wing of the sphenoid

Sphenoid sinuses

Anterior clinoid process

Optic canals

Tuberculum sella

Optic canal : oblique coronal cut

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

Medial wall (body of the sphenoid)

Superior wall (superior root of the sphenoid)

Right optic canal

Ethmoid sinuse

Left orbit

Sphenoid sinus

Course of the optic canals: antero-lateral view

Maxillary bone

Ethmoid bone

Sphenoid bone

Nasal bone

Zygomatic bone

Lacrimal bone

Anterior clinoid process

(cut) Sphenoid

sinus Superior orbital fissure

Inferior orbital fissure

Dorsum sella Tuberculum

sella

Floor of the orbit

Optic canals

Course of the optic canals: postero-superior view

Greater wing of the sphenoid

Lesser wing of the sphenoid

Body of the sphenoid

Ethmoid bone

Sphenoid sinus

Inferior orbital fissures

Anterior clinoid process (cut)

Chiasmatic groove Tuberculum sella

Optic canals

Course of the optic nerves in the optic canals