DESCRIPTION OF THE NORMAL VARIANTS OF THE ANATOMICAL SHAPES OF THE SELLA TURCICA USING PLAIN RADIOGRAPHS: EXPERIENCE FROM SOKOTO, NORTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Background: The anatomy of the sella turcica is variable in size and shape. It has been classified into three types: round, oval and flat. It can also be deep or shallow in both children and adults. The floor of the sella turcica which in most cases is concave may be, flat or even convex. In both anatomical and radiological practice in Nigeria, normal data in relation to the description of the normal variants of the anatomical shapes of the sella turcica are based on Caucasian studies. Methods: All available lateral skull radiographs of subjects over a 3-year period, from 2002 to 2004, were retrieved from the Radiology Department of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto for the study. Radiographs were mounted on the viewing boxes and sellae turcicae were studied and classified. Results: A total of 228 subjects were involved in this study. Of this figure, 171 (75%) were males, and 57 (25%) were females (m: f ratio = 3:1). The predominant shape of sella in the African subjects studied is oval, and the difference in frequency of oval shaped sella and that of round or flat types is highly statistically significant. (P .001).The commonest type of sella floor in the African subjects studied is concave and the difference in frequency of concave shaped sella floor and that of flat and convex types is highly statistically significant.(P .001). In both the various anatomical shapes of the sella turcica and the types of floor of the sella turcica in relation to sex of the subjects studied, the difference in frequency of males and females is highly statistically significant. (P .001). Conclusion: It is concluded that the prevalence and the relative frequencies of the normal variants of the anatomical shapes of the sella turcica reported in this study on Nigerian subjects is similar to those reported in Caucasians. Further studies on a larger scale are needed to corroborate our findings.