What are the two types of empty sella?

What are the two types of empty sella?

When your healthcare provider identifies an empty sella on your imaging scans, they categorize it as one of two types: primary or secondary.

Primary empty sella (PES) means that your provider can’t identify the underlying cause of your flattened pituitary gland. Primary empty sella doesn’t usually cause empty sella syndrome. In other words, it doesn’t usually cause symptoms.

Secondary empty sella (SES) is caused by an identifiable underlying condition that changes the anatomy of your pituitary gland and/or the sella turcica. This is usually due to some kind of damage as a result of a condition or incident.

Secondary empty sella (SES) more often leads to empty sella syndrome than PES.