Age and sex related morphology and morphometry of sellar region of sphenoid in prenatal and postnatal human cadavers

Sella turcica is a saddle shaped depression in the sphenoid bone. It received its name from its resemblance to the Turkish saddle. The seat of the saddle is known as pituitary fossa or hypophyseal fossa. The pituitary gland or hypophysis cerebri is situated in the hypophyseal fossa. It is limited anteriorly, posteriorly and inferiorly by bony constituents of the sella turcica the tuberculum sellae, dorsum sellae and bony roof of sphenoid air sinus respectively [1, 2]. The superior aspect of the pituitary gland is covered by the thin layer of dura known as diaphragma sellae which is pierced centrally by an aperture for pituitary stalk. Thorough knowledge on anatomy of sellar region, including diaphragma sellae, optic chiasma and pituitary stalk, is important to neurologists and neurosurgeons dealing with pathologies in this region. Recognizing variations is important in preventing damage during surgery [3]. Four different positions for pituitary stalk were reported in literature [3].They are anterior where it is close to tuberculum sellae; mid position that is central to diaphragm