The pituitary gland is a small but mighty part of the endocrine system, responsible for creating harmony among hormones that influence how our bodies function. When you’re living with a hypothalamic, neuroendocrine, suprasellar or pituitary condition, you can turn to our specialists for answers and action.
Bring balance to your hormonal health
The pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland in the hypothalamus region of the brain that has a very important job: controlling how most other endocrine glands work to release hormones. That’s why the pituitary gland is commonly called the master gland.
For the most part, the pituitary gland is made up of neuroendocrine cells. These cells receive signals from your nervous system and spring into action by making and releasing hormones that influence key bodily functions like growth and development, metabolism and sexual reproduction.
So, if your hormonal health starts taking a toll on your life, look no further than our Tufts Medicine team to restore balance to your body.
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Conditions
When you’re in search of answers, know that you can tap our endocrinologists to diagnose, manage and treat the following neuroendocrine and pituitary conditions:
Acromegaly
Craniopharyngioma
Cushing's syndrome
Diabetes insipidus
Germinoma
Hypophysitis
Hypopituitarism
Langerhans cell histiocytosis
Lymphoma
Metastatic disease involving the hypothalamus
Neurosarcoidosis
Nonfunctioning pituitary tumors
Pituitary apoplexy
Pituitary Disorders
Prolactinoma
Rathkes cleft cysts
Recurrent pituitary adenomas
Suprasellar tumors
Thyrotoph adenomas
Testing
We’ll begin your care with a complete evaluation:
- Medical history review
- Laboratory tests to identify chemical abnormalities
- MRI
- Physical examination
- Specialized provocative testing of pituitary function
We’re here for your whole health, not simply one part. These testing insights tell our endocrinologists if your best care plan must involve our fellow specialists from other departments, like
Treatments
The level of care you need depends on how far your condition has progressed. The good news is that some mild conditions respond well to medications and hormone replacements. With this path, we can simply monitor your health with routine MRI scans, blood tests and medication management.
Milder conditions may also be treated with minimally invasive endoscopic surgeries. Our specialists take an endoscopic (long, flexible camera with a small light) approach so you can say hello to a healthier you without the risk of severe scarring.
For more advanced cases, you may benefit from conventional radiation therapy, Gamma Knife surgery or special health monitoring services.
Gamma Knife surgery
When pituitary tumors are recurrent or difficult to reach with minimally invasive surgery, conventional radiation therapy or Gamma Knife surgery can be effective options.
Gamma Knife surgery is a non-invasive alternative to traditional brain surgery. Gamma Knife treatment pinpoints problematic areas with high doses of radiation while sparing healthy tissue.
Ophthalmic follow-ups
Patients with pituitary gland conditions need regular ophthalmic follow-up due to the gland's proximity to our visual system. Pituitary tumors can cause peripheral vision loss and affect ocular motor nerves, leading to double vision. Follow-up appointments help ophthalmologists monitor your vision health and identify any changes that may occur in the future. Our ophthalmologists are here to keep a close eye on your vision health.
Our locations
From regular office visits to inpatient stays, find the healthcare you need and deserve close to home.
Our doctors + care team
Meet the doctors and care team devoted to supporting you every step of the way along your path to better health.