Computed Tomography Evaluation of Sella Turcica Dimensions and Relevant Anthropometric Parameters in an African Population

A structural change from normal dimensions of sella turcica could be an indication of a pathological condition of the structure itself, the pituitary gland or the extra-sellar structures. The sella turcica is a groove in the sphenoid bone which contains the pituitary gland and this crucial intracranial structure affected both by intrasellar and extrasellar pathological conditions. This study was conducted to find out the normal dimensions of sella turcica among adult Nigerian population in South Western Nigeria with the aid of computed tomography and assess if the dimensions of sella turcica vary with age, gender and some anthropometric parameters. This prospective study evaluated the normal adult sella turcica dimensions from the computed tomography head images of 197 patients that presented at a foremost public tertiary hospital in Lagos State. Other anthropometric data (biparietal diameter, occipito-frontal diameter and patient’s height) were also measured. The data obtained was analyzed with SPSS Windows Version 17.0 (SPSS Inc.). The results shows that the sella turcica has mean length of 9.8 mm, AP diameter of 11.5 mm, and depth of 8.6 mm. The results illustrates that there is no difference between sella turcica dimension and the gender of the patient and there is no relationship between age and sella turcica dimensions. However, a positive correlation was established between sella turcica dimensions and height of the subjects. Linear regression prediction models were developed for the purpose of predicting the dimensions of sella turcica from patients’ height. The baseline sella turcica data obtained would be applied for the more objective evaluation and detection of pathological conditions of the sella turcica and adjacent structures within population studied. The predictive equations established between sella turcica dimensions and height could be used to predict normal sella turcica length and AP diameter in the assessment of the existence of possible intra- and extra-sellar pathologies.