Diagnosis and Treatment of Hypopituitarism
Diagnosing hypopituitarism involves medical detective work to determine the cause of your hormone deficit (s). When several glands are underactive, it may suggest hypopituitarism.
To make the diagnosis, your doctor will do a complete exam that includes your medical history and may also perform a CT scan or MRI to look for physical abnormalities in the pituitary gland. He will also order blood tests to measure hormone levels. Some of these measurements may require stimulation testing, in which hormones are given to see how the pituitary responds and which hormones are released.
Treatment for hypopituitarism depends largely on the cause of the disease. If a tumor is found, for instance, you may need surgery, radiation therapy, or drugs to remove the tumor or shrink it. Regardless of whether surgery is needed, the goal of treatment is to replenish the body with the missing hormone(s). In people who have central hypothyroidism, that might mean taking thyroid hormone replacement.
Essential
One type of surgery for pituitary tumors is called transphenoidal hypophysectomy. The procedure involves removing the tumor through a cut in the nasal passage. More recently, the surgery has been done endoscopically, with a small tube going to the pituitary, which is then viewed through a microscope. The surgery does not cause scarring and usually involves little pain, but it does not correct hypopituitarism.
