Guide To Understanding The Pituitary Gland

Diagnosing Pituitary Gland Conditions

Most pituitary gland conditions are tipped off by a basic pituitary hormone function tests performed by an individual's primary doctor when they suspect a problem with the gland. A simple blood test can detect levels of thyroid hormone, estrogen, growth hormone, cortisol, prolactin, and testosterone in the body. A specialized endocrine doctor may test an individual's blood for hormone levels of prolactin, insulin growth factor-1, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, ACTH, thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, and cortisol. Imaging tests may be utilized to detect abnormal growths and tumors that may develop in the pituitary gland and produce symptoms. CT scans and MRI scans can pick up cancerous and non-cancerous tumors that have formed in or around the pituitary gland. Another test that may be used to diagnose diabetes insipidus, a common pituitary condition, is a water deprivation test, where a patient's urine osmolality is tested in the condition of no water consumption.

Learn about treating pituitary gland issues next.

Treating Pituitary Gland Issues

An individual suspected of having problems with their pituitary gland is most often referred to an endocrinologist. An endocrinologist can perform multiple diagnostic tests to make or rule out a diagnosis of a pituitary gland condition. If the pituitary gland is not producing enough of the hormones it should be, they will need to take hormone replacement medications as their treatment. If the pituitary gland is producing too much of one or more of the hormones it is responsible for, an individual may need to take medications to reduce the production of said hormones in the body. When a tumor develops in the pituitary gland, surgery is the most common form of treatment used to remove the abnormal mass. In some cases, radiation therapy is used in conjunction with other methods.