Finding the right tests…
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Finding the right tests…
CT Scan
The sella turcica is a small bony pocket at the skull base that holds the pituitary gland, and CT SELLA is the scan built to look at exactly that spot. Doctors order it when a pituitary problem is suspected, often after a hormone blood test comes back abnormal or when vision changes point toward pressure on the optic nerves nearby. Unlike a routine head CT, this scan is centred tightly on that one region and often uses thin image slices to show fine bone detail. It's especially useful for looking at bone erosion, calcification, or the anatomy a surgeon needs before a pituitary operation. For soft-tissue detail of the gland, your doctor may still recommend MRI alongside this scan.
This scan doesn't produce a lab number. A radiologist looks at the size and shape of the sella turcica, whether its bony walls are eroded or intact, and whether any calcification is present, then reports these findings for your doctor to interpret alongside your hormone tests.
The sella turcica is a saddle-shaped dip in the sphenoid bone, roughly in the centre of your skull base, that cradles the pituitary gland. This scan is aimed specifically at that small area rather than the whole brain.
- Symptoms suggesting a pituitary tumor, such as irregular periods, unexplained milk production, or changes in growth or weight - Vision changes, particularly loss of peripheral vision, which can happen when a pituitary mass presses on the nearby optic chiasm - Planning before surgery on the pituitary gland, when a surgeon needs a clear map of the bony anatomy - Follow-up after pituitary surgery to check the surgical site
Medical literature notes that MRI is generally the preferred first scan for most pituitary lesions, because it shows soft tissue detail that CT cannot match. CT still plays a real role, though, particularly for evaluating bone erosion, calcification within a tumor, and the bony landmarks a surgeon relies on before an operation. Your doctor may order CT and MRI together rather than choosing one over the other.
It's a small, saddle-shaped bony pocket at the base of your skull that holds the pituitary gland. This scan focuses tightly on that region instead of your whole brain.
MRI generally shows the pituitary gland's soft tissue in more detail, so it's often the first choice. CT is still useful for looking at bone, calcification, and surgical anatomy that MRI shows less clearly.
The images show whether the sella and surrounding bone look abnormal, but a diagnosis usually combines these findings with hormone blood tests and your symptoms, decided by your doctor.
It depends on what your doctor is checking. Ask the centre when you book, since contrast use varies by case for this scan.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
CT and MRI show different things well. Your doctor may want CT specifically for bone detail, such as before planning surgery, even after an MRI has already been done.
A routine head CT covers your whole brain and skull broadly. CT SELLA narrows in on just the sella turcica and pituitary region, often with thinner image slices for finer detail.
Yes, doctors sometimes use it after pituitary surgery to check the surgical site and surrounding bone. Ask your doctor whether this is the right follow-up scan for your situation.