Tehran University Medical Journal

Background and Aim: With daily improvement of diagnostic modalities, accurate knowledge of anatomy and microanatomy is necessary and important, for better diagnosis of pathologic problems from normal variations. One of this very important anatomical sites is sella and suprasellar zones, where sensitive elements is noted. CT and MRI is very helpful in diagnosis and management of diseases as well as for differentiating of pathology from normal variation. A study was designed for evaluation of normal variation of this zones in normal men achieved.

Materials and Methods: 200 referral patients to CT center with headache and 200 referral patients to MRI center with headache which had normal imaging findings were chosen. We grouped the sella and suprasellar cistern on the basis of shapes, dimensions and normal variation.

Results: Different normal variations of soft tissues and bony elements in sella and suprasellar zones noted. Different shapes of sella turcica and suprasellar cistern and optic chiasma is noted.

Conclusion: Advanced imaging systems allows us to diagnosis of different formal sella and suprasellar cistern, so that accurate anatomic patterns were diagnosed for better evaluation of pathology and differentiation from normal variations. different CT patterns of sella and suprasellar regions are due to anatomic and technical variations. CT scaning with thin slices is necessary. Both CT and MRI are highly reliable in diagnosis of sella and suprasellar cistern lesions.