Re: Has anyone ever had an MRI of their pituitary gland?

Hey Wired,

I thought of you when reading this earlier:

"Evidence of a pituitary mass or of pituitary atrophy strongly suggests secondary adrenal insufficiency."

From: http://www.teleplexus.com/Adrenal_Cortical_Hypofunction.html




SECONDARY ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY

Adrenal hypofunction due to a lack of ACTH.

Adequacy of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during long-term steroid treatment can be determined by injecting 5 to 250 µg cosyntropin IV. Thirty minutes thereafter, the plasma cortisol level should be > 20 µg/dL (> 552 nmol/L). Isolated ACTH deficiency is idiopathic and extremely rare.
Symptoms and Signs

Patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency are not hyperpigmented, as are those with Addison's disease. They have relatively normal electrolyte levels. Hyperkalemia and elevated BUN generally are not present because of the near-normal secretion of aldosterone in these patients. Hyponatremia may occur on a dilutional basis. Persons with panhypopituitarism, however, have depressed thyroid and gonadal function and hypoglycemia, and coma may supervene when symptomatic secondary adrenal insufficiency occurs.


Diagnosis

Tests to differentiate primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency are discussed under Addison's Disease, above. Evidence of a pituitary mass or of pituitary atrophy strongly suggests secondary adrenal insufficiency.


Treatment

Treatment of secondary adrenal insufficiency is similar to that for Addison's disease. Each case varies regarding the type and degree of specific adrenocortical hormone deficiencies. Generally, fludrocortisone is not required, since aldosterone is produced. These patients may do better on lower doses of hydrocortisone than patients with primary insufficiency. During acute febrile illness or after trauma, patients receiving corticosteroids for nonendocrine disorders may require supplemental doses to augment their endogenous hydrocortisone production.