Morphometric assessment of sella turcica using CT scan

Objectives: Morphometry of sella turcica should be known to evaluate pathological sella turcica. The aim of this study was to measure the size and describe the morphology of sella turcica in a Turkish population.Methods: This study included 101 individuals aged 17 to 70 years who went under CT scan. Sella length, sella width, sella height anterior, sella height median, sella height posterior, sella area, sella depth and sella anteroposterior (AP) diameter were measured.Results: Sella length was measured as 9.18±1.91 mm, sella width 10.41±1.74 mm, sella height anterior 8.09±1.65 mm, sella height median 7.71±1.24 mm, sella height posterior 7.48±1.34 mm, sella area 69.15±17.45 mm2, sella depth 7.87±1.37 mm and antero-posterior sella diameter as 11.48±1.82 mm. When these sizes were compared between males and females, only sella length and width differed significantly. When compared by decades, there was a statistically significant difference only in the sella area parameter.Conclusion: Sella turcica dimensions of the Turkish population obtained by CT in this study can be used in estimating pituitary gland size and in determining any pathology in the sellar and parasellar regions. In addition, these results may help clinicians who encounter pathologically large sella areas in easily distinguishing it. Therefore, knowing the normal anatomy and variations of sella turcica is important for neurologists and neurosurgeons who deal with the pathologies of this area.