- Part 1 Principles of international endocrine practice
- Part 2 Pituitary and hypothalamic diseases
- 2.1 General concepts of hypothalamus-pituitary anatomy
- 2.2 The neurohypophysis
- 2.3 Aetiology, pathogenesis, and management of disease of the pituitary
- 2.3.1 Development of the pituitary and genetic forms of hypopituitarism
- 2.3.2 Molecular pathogenesis of pituitary tumours
- 2.3.3 Histopathology of pituitary tumours
- 2.3.4 Pituitary assessment strategy
- 2.3.5 Imaging of the pituitary
- 2.3.6 Hypopituitarism: replacement of adrenal, thyroid, and gonadal axes
- 2.3.7 Adult growth hormone deficiency
- 2.3.8 Surgery of pituitary tumours
- 2.3.9 Pituitary radiotherapy
- 2.3.10 Prolactinomas and hyperprolactinaemia (including macroprolactinaemia)
- 2.3.11 Acromegaly
- 2.3.12 Clinically nonfunctioning pituitary tumours and gonadotropinomas
- 2.3.13 Thyrotropinomas
- 2.3.14 Pituitary carcinoma
- 2.3.15 Pituitary incidentalomas
- 2.4 Aetiology, pathogenesis, and management of diseases of the hypothalamus
- 2.5 Pineal physiology and pathophysiology, including pineal tumours
- 2.6 Neuropsychiatric endocrinological disorders
- Part 3 The thyroid
- Part 4 Parathyroid, calcium, and bone metabolism
- Part 5 The adrenal gland and endocrine hypertension
- Part 6 Neuroendocrine tumours and genetic disorders
- Part 7 Growth and development during childhood
- Part 8 Female endocrinology and pregnancy
- Part 9 Male hypogonadism and infertility
- Part 10 Endocrinology of ageing and systemic disease
- Part 11 Endocrinology of cancer
- Part 12 Obesity, lipids, and metabolic disorders
- Part 13 Diabetes mellitus
Pituitary assessment strategy
- Chapter:
- Pituitary assessment strategy
- Author(s):
W. M. Drake
and P. J. Trainer
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780199235292.003.2067
The optimum methods of testing anterior and posterior pituitary function and the interpretation of the results are subjects of continuing debate. The syndromes associated with and consequences of hypo- and hyperpituitarism, and the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes insipidus are all discussed elsewhere in this book. The intention of this chapter is to describe the physiological basis and evidence in favour of the various available tests of anterior pituitary function, discuss the limitations of using artificial assessments on which to base patient management decisions and, ultimately, endeavour to produce a rational approach to the investigation of suspected hypopituitarism.
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- Part 1 Principles of international endocrine practice
- Part 2 Pituitary and hypothalamic diseases
- 2.1 General concepts of hypothalamus-pituitary anatomy
- 2.2 The neurohypophysis
- 2.3 Aetiology, pathogenesis, and management of disease of the pituitary
- 2.3.1 Development of the pituitary and genetic forms of hypopituitarism
- 2.3.2 Molecular pathogenesis of pituitary tumours
- 2.3.3 Histopathology of pituitary tumours
- 2.3.4 Pituitary assessment strategy
- 2.3.5 Imaging of the pituitary
- 2.3.6 Hypopituitarism: replacement of adrenal, thyroid, and gonadal axes
- 2.3.7 Adult growth hormone deficiency
- 2.3.8 Surgery of pituitary tumours
- 2.3.9 Pituitary radiotherapy
- 2.3.10 Prolactinomas and hyperprolactinaemia (including macroprolactinaemia)
- 2.3.11 Acromegaly
- 2.3.12 Clinically nonfunctioning pituitary tumours and gonadotropinomas
- 2.3.13 Thyrotropinomas
- 2.3.14 Pituitary carcinoma
- 2.3.15 Pituitary incidentalomas
- 2.4 Aetiology, pathogenesis, and management of diseases of the hypothalamus
- 2.5 Pineal physiology and pathophysiology, including pineal tumours
- 2.6 Neuropsychiatric endocrinological disorders
- Part 3 The thyroid
- Part 4 Parathyroid, calcium, and bone metabolism
- Part 5 The adrenal gland and endocrine hypertension
- Part 6 Neuroendocrine tumours and genetic disorders
- Part 7 Growth and development during childhood
- Part 8 Female endocrinology and pregnancy
- Part 9 Male hypogonadism and infertility
- Part 10 Endocrinology of ageing and systemic disease
- Part 11 Endocrinology of cancer
- Part 12 Obesity, lipids, and metabolic disorders
- Part 13 Diabetes mellitus