Investigation of the Relationship Between Skull and Gender of the Sella Turcica in Cats Using Computed Tomography

ABSTRACT Background The sella turcica is an important skull formation due to its close anatomical relationship with the pituitary gland. Therefore, the shape and morphometry of the sella turcica provide crucial preliminary information for the determination of cases. Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the morphometry of the sella turcica in cats and its relationship with gender and skull morphometry using computed tomography (CT). Methods In this study, CT images of 18 female and 15 male adult cats were used for morphometric measurements. Six different morphometric measurements of the sella turcica were performed on CT images. Similarly, seven different morphometric measurements were made on the skull and six different indices of the skull were calculated. Additionally, 3D modelling of the hypophyseal fossa, dorsum sellae and tuberculum sellae that form the sella turcica was performed. Results Statistically significant gender‐based differences were observed in sella diameter, sella height cranialis and sella width ( p < 0.01). In the morphometric measurements obtained from the skull, differences were observed in skull length, cranial length, external height of cranium, internal length of the cranium and external length of the cranium ( p < 0.01). Similarly, a difference was found in cranial width ( p < 0.05). All measurements obtained from the skull were determined to be higher in male cats. Differences were observed in the cranial index, internal cranium index and external cranium index, and these indices were found to be higher in females. A strong positive correlation was observed between sella diameter and sella width. Similarly, a very strong positive correlation was found between skull length and cranial length. Conclusion In this study, the morphology and morphometry of the sella turcica in cats were revealed. In sella turcica and skull morphometry, a strong positive correlation was found between sella diameter/sella width and skull length/cranial length. The findings obtained from the sella turcica and skull, which is clinically important in humans, are thought to contribute to future clinical studies in cats. Additionally, the study's findings are expected to contribute to characterizing the morphometry of the domestic cat's skull.