New standards for the assessment of sella turcica volume were derived from studies in normal children. Use of these standards facilitates the diagnostic evaluation of children with short stature, since many patients with idiopathic hypopituitarism have abnormally small sella turcica volumes. The sellar volume should be estimated early in the evaluation of the short child and, if found to be small, should serve as a stimulus for prompt, thorough evaluation of pituitary function.