title: Anatomy, Physiology, and Laboratory Evaluation of the Pituitary Gland.
abstract: The pituitary gland functions prominently in the control of most endocrine systems in the body. Diverse processes such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, and water balance are tightly regulated by the pituitary in conjunction with the hypothalamus and various downstream endocrine organs. Benign tumors of the pituitary gland are the primary cause of pituitary pathology and can result in inappropriate secretion of pituitary hormones or loss of pituitary function. First-line management of clinically significant tumors often involves surgical resection. Understanding of normal pituitary physiology and basic testing strategies to assess for pituitary dysfunction should be familiar to any skull base surgeon.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, PO Box 801406, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, PO Box 800713, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Spencer C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Virginia Health System, PO Box 800212, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. Electronic address: johnajanejr@virginia.edu.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jane
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000175:diagnosis; D003919:Diabetes Insipidus / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000175:diagnosis; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D047748:Pituitary ACTH Hypersecretion / Q000175:diagnosis; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D015175:Prolactinoma / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D010907:Pituitary Hormones
keywords: Hypopituitarism; Pituitary diseases; Pituitary function tests; Pituitary gland; Pituitary hormones; Pituitary neoplasms