Continuing growth in sella turcica with age.

Abstract

Roentgenographic evidence now exists for continuing increase in the area of sella turcica as the individual ages. This fossa growth occurs in both sexes although it is of greater magnitude among males. The sample evaluated here indicates that sella size in younger adult men and women is almost the same, while the greater magnitude of gain in men results in a true size-sexual dimorphism in later life. This point may be responsible for the disparity in findings among previous investigators on the question of sex differences in adult sella size.At present, sella can be considered a participant in the process of later life skeletal remodeling known to occur in other areas such as skull, rib, femur, anti metacarpal, although the unusual relationship between fossa and pituitary gland may speak for an entirely different mechanism. Sella could be responding to space demands brought about by quantitative changes in its contents, but until further evidence is made available there is no way to know if sella ...