Sella can tell your age and gender: Determination of age and gender by evaluating the linear dimension of the sella turcica on lateral cephalogram - Retrospective study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: In the lateral cephalogram, the sella turcica, a saddle-shaped concavity in the middle cranial fossa on the intracranial surface of the sphenoid bone, is clearly visible. Since it is utilized for forensic analysis, gender determination, and age determination, it is an excellent source of further diagnostic data regarding the estimation of the average sella turcica dimension and morphological variance in various age groups and genders. Aim: This study aims to determine the average dimension and morphological variations of the sella turcica in different age and gender groups on lateral cephalogram. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 100 lateral cephalometric radiographs from patients 18 years or older. Linear Measurements: The length, depth, and anteroposterior diameter of the Sella Turcica were measured using the Silverman and Kisling methods. Statistical analysis was performed using the one-way ANOVA test and unpaired sample t-test. Results: In the present study, age-wise comparison of the linear measurement of sella turcica was not statistically significant in accordance with age with parameter P ≤ 0.05. Among the linear measurement, the parameter depth and diameter had statistically significant differences using parameter P ≤ 0.05 and unpaired t-test with gender. In gender-wise comparison, females tend to have higher sella turcica measurements than males. Conclusion: There was a statistically nonsignificant relation between age, and length, depth, and A-P diameter. There were statistically significant differences between sella turcica depth and diameter with genders.