Recent years have witnessed a rapidly growing interest in CVJ bony abnormalities, and a qualitative and quantitative analysis of relevant literatures is necessary. This study aims to identify and summarize the published articles related to craniovertebral junction bony abnormalities, to analyze and visualize the current research trends and major contributors.We collected data from Web of Science, excluding certain article types. Two researchers screened articles for relevance. Data was organized with EndnoteX9, and analyzed using VOSviewer and CiteSpace for co-authorship, co-occurrence, keyword burst, and co-citation analyses to identify research trends and collaborations.A total of 2,776 articles were included, revealing an increasing trend in annual publications of CVJ bony abnormalities. The USA was the leading country. King Edward Memorial Hospital was the most prolific institution, and Seth GS Medical College had the most citations. The Spine is the most popular journal with the highest number of publications and citations. Professor Goel Atul from India emerged as the most influential pioneer in this field. Keyword analysis highlighted surgical techniques, diagnosis, and anatomy as the primary research hotspots and Fixation, Placement, and Basilar invagination gradually become the new research trend. However, there is a relative weakness in basic research and epidemiology.This study provides valuable insights into the current research trends and critical contributors in CVJ bony abnormalities, guiding evidence-based decisions and fostering international collaborations to advance knowledge in this field.Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.