Dimensions of the Pituitary Fossa in Adults Undergoing Brain MRI at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital

The pituitary fossa, or sella turcica, is a bony enclosure in the sphenoid bone that houses the pituitary gland. Its dimensions are clinically significant in the assessment of pituitary tumours, empty sella syndrome, and neuroradiological evaluation of hypothalamo-pituitary disorders. Reference dimensions for the sella turcica are mostly derived from European and Asian radiological studies. This study aims to document the sagittal length, depth, and width of the pituitary fossa on brain magnetic resonance imaging scans among adult patients at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, North West Nigeria. Retrospective MRI data from 200 adult patients, excluding those with pituitary or sellar pathology, will be retrieved and reviewed. Measurements will be made using the hospital picture archiving system by a trained radiographer under radiologist supervision. Data will be stratified by sex and age decade. The study anticipates generating normative sella turcica dimensions for North West Nigerian adults that will improve the sensitivity of neuroradiological reporting of sellar pathology and contribute to the development of Nigerian-specific neuroradiological reference standards.

Keywords: pituitary fossa, sella turcica, MRI morphometry, Kano, neuroradiology