Factors associated with osteophytosis on the sella turcica: related morphological and morphometrical aspects

The sella turcica, part of the sphenoid bone located at the base of the skull, is associated with multiple important neurovascular structures. Hence, a detailed knowledge of its variations is critical to clinicians who interpret imaging or surgeons who operate in this region. Our aim was to better understand the pathology of osteophytosis, often found related to the sella turcica. The study sample (n=1,083, human skulls) was obtained from the skeleton collection housed in the Natural History Museum, Cleveland, OH, USA. All skulls were assessed for osteophytes in the sella turcica region (defined as an overgrowth of 1 mm or more). Morphometrical measurements included skull length, width, and thickness, correlated to seller osteophytes. Cranial shape was related to the presence of osteophytes. Greater prevalence was seen in the brachycephalic skulls, with a significantly higher ratio of presence in older people (79.6%) compared to a younger population (26.4%); greater prevalence was also observed in female skulls with a composite thickness of the frontal, parietal and occipital bones. A multifactorial analysis using a logistic regression model defined a statistically significant model, by explaining 37.0% of the variance in osteophyte presence and correctly classifying 77.2% of the cases. Female skulls were 1.76 times more likely to display osteophytes of the sella turcica. Increasing age and increased skull thickness were associated with an enhanced likelihood of exhibiting osteophytes involving the sella turcica, thereby, the shape of the skull, age, and sex partially explain the variations observed for the presence of sella turcica osteophytes.