The sella turcica (say  sell-uh  turr-see-ka) is the resting nook for the pituitary gland.  It sits dead under the hypothalmus. Surgeons aiming to get at the pituitary do so through the floor of this bone via the nose.

Congenital absence or deficiency of the pituitary is seen on x-ray as an underformed sella. A tumor of the gland will expand the sella and might be detected due to that change.