3D Morphological and Volumetric Assessment of the Sella Turcica on CT Scans: A Comparative Study of Males and Females in Jos, North Central Nigeria

Introduction: Sella turcica (ST) is a saddle-shaped middle cranial fossa structure that constitutes a significant landmark when imaging the brain and the base of the skull.Objective: This study aimed to analyze and compare the morphological and volumetric characteristics of sella turcica on three-dimensional (3D) Computed Tomography (CT) Scan in males and female.Methodology: This is a retrospective comparative study of 200 brain scans done at a private medical diagnostics center in Jos, North Central Nigeria.3D CT Images of the sella turcica on bone window were obtained from adult patients without discrimination of gender from the database of the diagnostic center. Patients with history of cranial trauma, surgery or pathological conditions affecting the sella turcica are excluded. Measurements of the sella turcica’s dimensions (length, width and depth) using digital calipers were obtained. The sella turcica’s volume is calculated using Di Chiro-Nelson method [0.5 × (length × width × depth)]Results: The majority of the participants were males 118 (59%)} with a mean age of 48.3 ±18.1 years while the female patients were 82(41%) with a mean age of 47.4 ±17.6 years. The overall mean length, width, depth and volume of the sella turcica were 12.46 mm, 13.24 mm,8.39mm and 702.03 mm3 for males and 11.90 mm, 13.31 mm,8.77mm and 703.71 mm3 for females respectively. A greater number of the participants have normal variant sella turcica 89(44.5%), followed distantly by the oblique anterior wall 40(20%) while the list seen is the irregularity of posterior wall which accounts for 6(3.0%).Conclusion: The study revealed a slight variation in the mean length, depth, width and volume of ST in males and females in our environment. The dominant ST type was the normal variant which is consistent with most of the studies reviewed.