| Tuberculum sellae | |
|---|---|
 Sphenoid bone. Upper surface. (Tuberculum sellae visible at center.) | |
 Base of the skull. Upper surface. (Sphenoid bone visible in yellow, the tuberculum sellae is labeled at the right, fourth from the top of the yellow section.) | |
| Identifiers | |
| TA98 | A02.1.05.007 |
| TA2 | 590 |
| FMA | 54719 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Thetuberculum sellae (or thetubercle of thesella turcica) is a slight[1] median elevation upon the superior aspect of thebody of sphenoid bone (that forms the floor of themiddle cranial fossa[2]: 508–509 ) at the anterior boundary of thesella turcica (hypophyseal (pituitary) fossa)[2]: 509 and posterior boundary of thechiasmatic groove.[3][2]: 509 Amiddle clinoid process flanks the tuberculum sellae on either side.[2]: 509
It represents a key anatomical landmark in theanterior fossa. It sits in the anterior aspect of thesella turcica and on the superior portion of thehypophyseal fossa. Its posterior to the prechiasmatic groove and theoptic foramina. Theanterior clinoid process can be found bilaterally adjacent.
The exact morphology varies from individual to individual and can be thoroughly examined usingCT orMRI imaging methods.
The tuberculum sellae is related to critical neurological and vascular structures in the anterior fossa and is therefore an important feature of theskull base in neurosurgical anatomy. Its posterior to theoptic chiasm and theoptic nerves, inferior to thethird ventricle, and superior to thepituitary gland and itsdural attachments. Thecavernous sinus and thecarotid syphon can be found bilateral to the tuberculum sellae.
Variations in the morphology of the tubercle of the sella turcica, or the sella proper, can be a sign ofneurological orendocrine alterations. A sella turcica with a more prominent hypophyseal fossa can be an indication ofempty sella syndrome orhypophyseal lesions. Examination of the parsellar region via imaging studies is a central aspect of diagnosing hypophyseal pathologies.
Transsphenoidal endoscopic approaches to the parasellar region involve an insightful understanding of the anatomy of tuberculum sellae, as it represents a point of entry into the anterior skull base and its structure must be understood in order to access the parasellar region without compromising neurological or vascular structures.
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