Home › Body Atlas › Bones › Sella Turcica

Sella Turcica

sella turcica

The sella turcica is a saddle-shaped depression in the body of the sphenoid bone forming the pituitary fossa, which houses the pituitary gland. Its anterior wall is bounded by the tuberculum sellae, its posterior wall by the dorsum sellae and posterior clinoid processes, and its floor by the roof of the sphenoid sinus. The anterior clinoid processes project from the lesser wings above. The cavernous sinuses lie laterally, containing the internal carotid arteries and cranial nerves III, IV, VI, V1, and V2.

Region: Head & Skull

Clinical Relevance

Clinical Notes

The sella is the primary target of transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas, performed endoscopically through the nostril and the sphenoid sinus. Its size and shape on MRI determines surgical approach planning. Pituitary macroadenomas expand the sella and can compress the optic chiasm above, causing bitemporal hemianopia. An enlarged empty sella results from CSF filling the pituitary fossa through a deficient diaphragma sellae. Craniopharyngiomas arise from Rathke pouch remnants within or above the sella.

Pathology

Common Injuries & Conditions

Pituitary Adenoma with Chiasm Compression

A pituitary macroadenoma expanding superiorly from the sella compresses the optic chiasm, producing the classic bitemporal hemianopia with loss of the upper outer visual fields first; urgent transsphenoidal decompression restores vision if chiasmal compression is recent.

Pituitary Apoplexy

Acute haemorrhage or infarction within a pituitary adenoma inside the sella produces sudden severe headache, ophthalmoplegia, visual loss, and acute hypopituitarism requiring emergency steroid replacement and surgical decompression.