Radiological anatomy of sella turcica in children: a retrospective study with CT

To assess the sella turcica (ST) morphology on pediatric computed tomography views.

Radiologic images of 113 children (47 females / 66 males, mean age: 9.24 ± 6.07 years) were included in the study. The diameter (STD), width (STW), length (STL), anterior height (STA), middle height (STM), and posterior height (STP) of ST were measured. ST shape was noted.

STL, STD, STA, STM, STP and STW were measured as 6.81 ± 1.57 mm, 8.52 ± 2.05 mm, 5.30 ± 1.57 mm, 6.06 ± 1.49 mm, 5.71 ± 1.64 mm, and 6.38 ± 1.91 mm, respectively. STL (p = 0.012) and STD (p < 0.001) did not show significant change after the late childhood period, while STA, STM, STP and STW did not display significant change after the early childhood period (p < 0.001). According to Axelsson classification, ST shape was identified as Type 1 (normal ST) in 34 cases (30.10%), Type 2 (oblique anterior wall) in 17 cases (15%), Type 3 (double contour of the floor) in four cases (3.60%), Type 4 (irregularity) in eight cases (7.10%), and Type 5 (pyramidal shape of the dorsum sellae) in 50 cases (44.20%). According to Camp classification, ST shape was identified as oval in 39 cases (34.50%), round in 62 cases (54.90%), and flattened in 12 cases (10.60%). Dispersion ratios of ST shape types in in the first and second decades showed that Axelsson (p < 0.001) and Camp (p = 0.043) classifications correlated with age.

ST size does not show significant change after the late childhood period. Its shape correlates with age, but not gender.