Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the morphology of the sella turcica and measure its size in cleft and noncleft subjects. Material and Methods: Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of 54 individuals (29 males; 25 females) with cleft and 85 (22 males; 63 females) without cleft were used for this study. Syndromic patients with cleft(s) were not included because of possible additional endocrinological and/or morphological disorders. Linear measurements included length, depth, and diameter. The shape of the sella turcica was analyzed in the cleft and noncleft groups. An independent t test was conducted to evaluate differences between genders and groups. One-way ANOVA was used to compare age groups. Results: The length (p < 0.001) of the sella turcica was smaller in noncleft subjects than in cleft subjects. Diameter (p = 0.014) and depth (p = 0.005) showed as constantly increasing from an age <15 to >25 years in the overall assessment. The distribution of the shape of the sella turcica differed significantly between groups (p < 0.001). Conclusions: In this study, CBCT was used to assess the morphology of the sella turcica. A majority of the subjects with cleft had a flattened sella turcica compared to that of the control group. A shorter length of the sella turcica was more evident in the cleft subjects than in the control group.
The anatomical structure of sella turcica can be studied effectively in CBCT images. Linear dimensions and shape of sella turcica in the current study can be used as reference standards for further investigations.
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