Some Observations on the Sella in Old Age and Arterial Hypertension

The dorsum sellae has been studied in 104 elderly subjects without evidence of intracranial disease and in 56 patients with severe hypertension. A high-definition technique has been used. In all of the elderly patients the cortex of the anterior aspect of the dorsum (lamina dura) was intact. It is concluded that an intact lamina dura is a good indication of a normal sella. It enables a distinction to be made between the appearances of old age and the early changes of raised intracranial pressure. In four of the hypertensive patients, changes were seen which were indistinguishable from those of raised intracranial pressure.