Pituitary Tutorial

In this tutorial, we will give an overview of lesions appearing in and around the pituitary gland, then move onto tumors intrinsic to the pituitary gland, delineating the two major ways that these tumors present. We will then focus on common pituitary tumors, giving the clinical presentation, laboratory and radiological workup, and treatment options for each. Controversies in treatment will be identified.

We will divide the discussion of the pituitary into several sections:

Anatomy and imagingof the pituitary gland ...and its surrounding structures (hint: the pituitary lives in a high-priced neighborhood...)
Physiology of the pituitary gland the briefest of overviews with references
Clinical presentation syndromes of pituitary tumors, the two major themes and variations, as well as an uncommon but potentially deadly presentation, together with the MR-based nomenclature for talking about pituitary tumors
Various pituitary tumors will be discussed:
- Prolactin secreting tumors
- Growth hormone secreting tumors
- ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) secreting tumors ("Cushing's Disease")
- Nonsecreting tumors
- Other tumors (including TSH)
treatment of pituitary tumors, including surgical, medical, and radiotherapy, with current controversies identified