Morphometric Analysis of Pituitary Fossa Configuration in a Regional Dogra Cohort Using Lateral Skull Imaging

Abstract

Morphometric evaluation of the pituitary fossa (sella turcica) is a critical component of cranial base analysis in radiological and anthropometric research. The structural configuration of the sella is closely linked to craniofacial development, endocrine morphology, and population-specific skeletal variability. This study investigates pituitary fossa morphology in a regional Dogra cohort using lateral skull imaging, with emphasis on dimensional variability, shape classification, and comparative morphometric interpretation.
The theoretical foundation of this work is grounded in geometric morphometric principles, which enable quantitative assessment of shape independent of size variation. Prior studies have demonstrated that morphometric frameworks can effectively capture structural variability in biolog1ical forms, including skeletal and shell-like structures, by decomposing shape into mathematically analyzable components (Carvajal-Rodriguez et al., 2005). Similarly, advanced statistical tools and software-based morphometric pipelines have been widely used to ensure reproducibility and precision in landmark-based anatomical studies (Rohlf, 1993; Rohlf & Bookstein, 2003).
In this investigation, lateral cephalometric radiographs were analyzed to extract pituitary fossa measurements, including depth, length, and configurational indices. Shape categorization was performed to identify morphological variants within the Dogra population. The study also integrates computational morphometric tools such as landmark digitization and shape alignment frameworks to ensure analytical consistency (Rohlf, 2005; Rohlf, 2004).
Findings indicate that pituitary fossa morphology exhibits structured variability, with predominant oval configurations and measurable deviations in depth and contour across individuals. These variations reflect both developmental constraints and population-specific cranial architecture. Prior cephalometric evidence in the Dogra population supports the presence of consistent cranial base variability patterns, reinforcing the importance of ethnic-specific anatomical baselines (ARSHAD et al., 2023).
The study contributes to radiographic anthropology by establishing a refined morphometric perspective on sellar configuration. It further highlights the relevance of integrating classical morphometrics with computational shape analysis for improved diagnostic precision in cranial imaging. The findings have implications for orthodontic diagnostics, neurosurgical planning, and comparative cranial anatomy.