The diaphragma sellae is a small circular sheet of dura that forms a roof over the pituitary fossa (sella turcica). It has a central opening through which the pituitary stalk passes. Its completeness and strength affect the direction in which a pituitary tumour grows.
| Location | Over the sella turcica of the sphenoid bone, between the anterior and posterior clinoid processes, below the optic chiasm |
|---|---|
| Parts |
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| Connections |
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| Blood Supply | Meningeal branches of the internal carotid artery (meningohypophyseal trunk) |
Covers and holds the pituitary gland in the sella turcica and separates it from the subarachnoid space above.
A large opening in the diaphragma sellae allows CSF to push into the sella, flattening the pituitary and producing an empty sella on imaging. Pituitary macroadenomas grow upward through the diaphragm in a figure-of-eight (snowman) shape and compress the chiasm. Its integrity matters during transsphenoidal surgery to avoid CSF leaks.
Herniation of the arachnoid and CSF through a deficient diaphragma sellae, flattening the pituitary, often incidental but sometimes linked to raised CSF pressure.
Upward growth of a pituitary tumour through the diaphragma sellae, compressing the optic chiasm.
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