Sella turcica bridging and ossified carotico-clinoid ligament: Correlation with sex and age

Abstract

Aim Sella turcica bridging and ossified carotico-clinoid ligament are two variants of the sella turcica, the origin of which is partially unknown. These variations should be properly recognised, as they may hamper the removal of the anterior clinoid process in surgical procedures. Therefore, our aim was to determine the prevalence of these two anatomical variants and to investigate their prevalence according to patient sex and age in a series of maxilla computed tomography scans. Materials and methods We revised 300 computed tomography scans of the head from northern Italian patients, stratified into three age groups (18-40 years, 41-60 years, >60 years): a logistic regression analysis was used to explore an association of sella turcica bridging with age and sex through Matlab software, also including a test for the extracted model ( P < 0.05). Results The mean prevalence of sella turcica bridging and ossified carotico-clinoid ligament were 0.16 ± 0.06 (48/300, 16.0%) and 0.09 ± 0.03 (26/300, 8.7%), respectively. Statistically significant differences according to sex were found neither for sella turcica bridging ( P = 0.345) nor for ossified carotico-clinoid ligament ( P = 0.412). Only sella turcica bridging showed a correlation with age ( P = 0.007). In addition, the two variants were often associated, as patients without sella turcica bridging usually did not show ossified carotico-clinoid ligament ( P < 0.001). Discussion Our results suggest an association between the two variants, and provide a novel contribution to the debate around their origin.

Skull base ligamentous mineralisation: evaluation using computed tomography and a review of the clinical relevance

“…The incidence of interclinoid ligamentous mineralisation was higher in the current study than in many prior studies (4–11.8% [ 2 , 12 , 26 , 27 , 29 , 36 , 37 , 39 ]), which may be secondary to the relatively long and exposed nature of the interclinoid ligament that could make it vulnerable to loss during the preparation of dry skulls. Indeed, a large Italian study of 300 CT scans of the head recorded incidences closer to the current study; furthermore, it corroborated our observation that mineralisation of the caroticoclinoid and interclinoid ligaments is not infrequently associated [ 32 ].…”

“… Erturk, Kayalioglu, and Govsa [ 31 ] 119 dry skulls + 52 cadaveric heads Turkey – – 8.18% – Neurosurgical implications and relationship with cavernous sinus. Gibelli et al [ 32 ] 300 CT head scans Italy 18–99 years – 16.00% – Association between interclinoid and caroticoclinoid bridging. Potential association with interclinoid mineralisation and age.…”

Association between sella turcica bridging and altered direction of dental eruption: A case-control study

“…The presence of a partially or completely calcified bridge of the sella turcica in subjects with altered direction of dental eruption, currently provides a genetic-based further evidence for subjects affected of these conditions. As sella turcica bridging occurs early during the developmental period, it has been suggested as a screening test for possible genetic diseases and dental alterations (25). Certainly, the findings of this study indicate that subjects with sella turcica bridging have a potential risk of developing alterations of dental eruption direction.…”

“…Other studies have also found a correlation between sella turcica bridging and age. In a study of northern Italian patients 300, in which 300 computed tomography scans of the head were revised, the prevalence of sella turcica bridging was 16% (25). Significant differences according to sex were not found, which is in agreement with our study, but a correlation with age was observed ( P = 0.007).…”

“…Also, it has been shown that the morphological aspect is established early in the embryonic development (1,24). In the general population, a general prevalence of sella turcica bridging ranging between 1.1% and 13% has been reported (2,3,25), with higher prevalence rates in subjects with severe craniofacial deviations (4,5). However, a distinction between a real bone fusion and an overlapping between the anterior and posterior clinoid processes is difficult to identify (3).…”