Relation of the Pituitary Gland With the Sella Turcica in Adult Patients With Chiari Malformation Type 1.

Abstract

This study aims to assess the relation of the pituitary gland height (PGH) with the heights of the tuberculum sellae (TSH) and dorsum sellae (DSH) in adult patients with Chiari malformation type 1 (CM1). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) views of 50 CM1 patients aged 20 to 71 years and 50 controls aged 20 to 65 years were included in the study. CM1 patients (6.29±1.24mm) had statistically similar PGH to controls (6.63±1.18mm, P=0.171). TSH (10.11±2.18mm), and DSH (8.87±1.88mm) of these patients were statistically smaller than TSH (11.28±2.07mm) and DSH (10.50±1.62mm) of controls (P<0.01). In CM1, there was one male patient (2%) with PGH > 10mm, whereas in controls, there was no case with PGH > 10mm. Two CM1 patients (4%) had taller PGH compared with DSH, and 1 CM1 patient (2%) had taller PGH compared with TSH. In controls, all PGHs were smaller than TSHs and DSHs. In comparison with controls, CM1 patients had smaller TSH and DSH, but statistically similar PGH. Thus, a shallow sella on MRI image of a CM1 patient may result in the pituitary gland to appear longer than normal, and this may lead to erroneous diagnoses such as gland enlargement on their MRI images.