(anatomy) A depression in the upper surface of the sphenoid bone in which the pituitary gland rests in vertebrates.
Sella turcica
| Sci-Tech Dictionary: sella turcica |
(′sel·ə ′tər·kə·kə)
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| Dental Dictionary: sella turcica |
n
S
The pituitary fossa. The center is used as a cephalometric landmark.
| Medical Dictionary: sella tur·ci·ca |
(tûr'sĭ-kə)
n.
n.
A saddlelike prominence on the upper surface of the sphenoid bone of the skull, situated in the middle cranial fossa and dividing it into two halves.
| Wikipedia: Sella turcica |
| Bone: Sella turcica | |
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| Sphenoid bone. Upper surface. (There is no label for "Sella turcica", but "Tuberculum sellae" and "Fossa hypophyseos" are visible near center.) | |
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| Medial wall of left orbit. (Sella turcica labeled in upper right.) | |
| Gray's | subject #35 147 |
The sella turcica (literally Turkish saddle) is a saddle-shaped depression in the sphenoid bone at the base of the human skull.
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Anatomy
The seat of the saddle is known as the hypophyseal fossa, which holds the pituitary gland. The hypophyseal fossa is located in a depression in the body of the sphenoid bone. Located anteriorly to the hypophyseal fossa is the tuberculum sellae.
Completing the formation of the saddle posteriorly is the dorsum sellae which is continuous with the clivus, inferoposteriorly. The dorsum sellae is terminated laterally by the posterior clinoid processes.
Pathological Significance
Since the sella turcica forms a bony caudal border for the pituitary gland, a pituitary tumor can extend only upward in the rostral direction. This can result in compression of the optic chiasm, which lies on top of the pituitary, enveloping the pituitary stalk. Compression of the optic chiasm can lead to bitemporal hemianopsia, and, when there is no relevant trauma, this clinical finding is pathognomonic for a pituitary tumor.
See also
Additional images
 Lateral wall of nasal cavity, showing ethmoid bone in position. |
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References
Marieb, Elaine Nicpon; (2004). Human Anatomy & Physiology / Elaine M. Marieb. 6th Edition. Pearson Education, Inc.. ISBN 0-8053-5462-X. -- Page 209
External links
- Image at Indiana.edu
- Sella+turcica at eMedicine Dictionary
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 | Sci-Tech Dictionary. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms. Copyright © 2003, 1994, 1989, 1984, 1978, 1976, 1974 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Dental Dictionary. Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Medical Dictionary. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Sella turcica". Read more |
