clivus
- noun
- /ˈklɪvəs/
- Specialized
- During the anatomy lesson, the professor explained how the clivus connects the sphenoid and occipital bones.
Examples
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Cranial chordomas usually occur in the area of the clivus.
Academic text (2008) -
She had a history of recurrent chordomas involving the occipital portion of the clivus that had been treated with multiple resections and proton-beam irradiations over a period of several years.
Academic text (2008) -
In April 2002, a follow-up MRI detected a 1-cm mass at the clivus and prevertebral space at the site of the previous resection.
Academic text (2008) -
The tumor was identified in the occipital condyle, and extension was noted to the clivus, retropharyngeal space, and up to the odontoid process of C1.
Academic text (2008) -
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed the presence of a 5 x 4-cm mass in the occipital portion of the clivus (figure 1).
Academic text (2008) -
The radiologist noted a significant abnormality in the clivus during the brain scan.
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Surgeons often work carefully around the clivus to avoid damaging critical structures.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Clivus comes from Latin and means 'slope' or 'incline', and the same root appears in English words like acclivity and declivity. So the anatomical clivus is the 'sloping' part at the base of the skull, which helps you remember its angled shape.
