Characterization of Pituitary Gland and Sellar Region Using Magnetic Resonance Image

Abstract

The objective of the study to characterize the pituitary gland and sellar region using Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI). The current study included 301 participants within gender (123 males, 178 females) age between 20-60 years old who underwent brain MRI examination and diagnosed as a normal MRI brain, a study done in different MRI centers in Khartoum, in the period extended from 2015 to 2020. The results of the current study showed that, the convex shape of the gland appeared as a common shape, concave, flat, partially empty, and empty respectively. The sphenoid sinus shape appeared was sellar, post-sellar, pre-sella, and conchal shape respectively, and the range of sphenoid sinus width was between (5.49mm to 49.70mm). The height measurement of the gland was higher in females than males (5.73mm for males, 5.78 mm for females) P>0.05, and with age the relationship appeared to be as U-shape the highest value among the adolescence in the third decade, followed by a decrease in pituitary height values, until they start to rise again relatively at the age group of 50-60 years. Also, the length, width, and volume of the gland mean were (11.12mm, 12.00mm, 383.39mm3) respectively. The relationship of length with age was positive and inverse with width P<0.05. Males and females values were almost equal in gland area (0.565cm2 for males, 0.561cm2 for females) while males were a higher value for the ratio of the gland to sellar area (76.23% for males, 75.64% for females) P<0.05, while females were bigger values of the sellar area (0.748cm2 for males, 0.756cm2for females) P<0.05 and the opening distance (9.71mm for males, 9.98mm for females). The results of the gland area and opening distance and pituitary sellar percentage were statistically significant P<0.05 to the age. Males have longer measurements for the short axis of the bright region (2.82mm for males, 2.53mm for females) P<0.05, long axis measurement (4.4mm for males, 4.2mm for females) and the area of the bright region (0.1083cm2 for males, V 0.1087cm2 for females). The stalk lengths (3.57mm for males, 3.64mm for females) the stalk depth was longer in females than males (2.88mm for males, 3.05mm for females) P<0.05 in length with age. The angle of the stalk was in the range (40o- 58.90o) which is a normal range of the angle. The distance between the columella nasal implant opening and the hypophysis was (89.09mm for males, 83.5mm for females). The distance between the hypophysis and the sphenoid nasal sinus (78.63mm for males, 73.43mm for females) the difference was statistically significant with gender as the values increased with age in general. The optic chiasm width was wider in males than in females (11.98mm for males, 11.36mm for females) P<0.05. The carotid artery distance in the saddle area (18.36mm for males, 16.83mm for females). The study concluded it’s important to assess the dimensions of the pituitary gland and surround anatomical structure according to age and gender.