What is a pineal gland and what happens when you open it?
It's part of the epithalamus in the middle of your brain. It manufactures and secretes melatonin which effects sleeep/wake cycles (circadian rhythms). The pineal gland is reddish-gray and about the size of a grain of rice (5-8 mm) in humans, located just rostro-dorsal to the superior colliculus and behind and beneath the stria medullaris, between the laterally positioned thalamic bodies From the second and third vertabrae, the superior cervical ganglion supplies its sympathetic innervation There is also a parasympathetic innervation from the otic nerve
Would you be concerned if you have a 12 mm pineal cyst?
Small pineal cysts are usually benign without any symptoms. At about 10 mm they start go become symptomatic. About 4–10% of people have them when they die according to a study that looked at them with MRI scans.Talk with the doctor who ordered the scan or see a neurosurgeon to go over your symptoms, findings and options.Good luck .
10mm pineal gland cyst?
I'm a very petite (short) 80lb female recently diagnosed with a 10mm pineal gland cyst and I was reading that one this large is "rare" and possible symptomatic. I had an MRI done for extreme headaches, blurred vision in one eye, nervousness, fatigue and insomnia and that was ultimately the finding. They're a little concerned and want me to do a follow up MRI with contrast dye. Is a pineal gland cyst extremely dangerous? Is it generally easy for doctors to differentiate between cysts and tumors? My doctor seemed a little apprehensive to answer this question. I'm very nervous, does anyone have any advice? I wonder if it has anything to do with my symptoms. Are these generally benign, even at that very large size (for a small person, that I am?)
Does anyone know what the pineal gland is?
You are paying your doctor and they should answer any questions you have about any procedure they are doing for you in a way you can understand using courtesy and respect. Our bodies have a sleeping and a waking period called the circadian rhythm. The body knows when those times are by a hormone the pineal gland makes in response to sunlight. It's called melatonin. It can be taken in pill form. Cortisol is involved with the adrenal cortex organ located in your abdomen. It makes cortisol when you are under stress. Only your doctor can tell you why he ordered your levels tested so you should ask him. Anxiety can be caused by fear or not understanding something. I think if you ask your doctor to explain this all to you it will go a long ways towards relieving your stress. Realize that they are there to help you in any way possible. Until then, whenever you feel yourself dwelling on all of it too much and your anxiety feels like it is getting out of control, do something physical like going for a walk or cleaning the house. After that, do something that is hard for you and requires all of your concentration so that you can't think about your anxiety. I wish you the very, very best. May God bless you and watch over you.
If for some reason one has to surgically remove their pituitary gland, can they continue living? What is the implication of such a procedure?
Life without a pituitary gland i.e. hypopituitarism is challenging but not impossible condition to manage with the assistance of modern medicine.The pituitary gland is prone to contract benign, sometimes hormonally active tumours that occupy the limited space of the bony cavity called sella turcica. These tumours are the usual reason for a need to operate on the pituitary gland.If the tumour or the operation damages the pituitary gland the patient is looking at numerous hormonal deficiencies, all of which need to be replaced:Growth hormone (GH) - In children the lack of GH will stunt the growth, in adults some metabolic changes might ensue causing changes in lipid metabolism (e.g. high cholesterol), osteoporosis and muscle weakness.Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) - The lack of TSH leads to hypothyroidism. In children the condition stunts growth and might even lead to mental retardation. In adults the condition is fairly common independently (due to inactivity of the thyroid gland) and leads to a general slowing of metabolic rate with numerous symptoms.Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) - The lack of ACTH will lead to decreased production of hormones in the adrenal cortex glands, most importantly cortisol. The condition is known as Addison's disease - the first symptoms are generally vague like tiredness, poor appetite, unintentional weight loss and hyperpigmentation, but can be significant like very low blood pressure, convulsions and even coma.Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) - The lack of ADH causes a condition known as diabetes insipidus, where the kidney lose their ability to concentrate urine causing the volume of urine excretion to increase dramatically.Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) - In women the lack of FSH and LH will lead to menstrual irregularities and infertility. In men it causes infertility, impotence and loss of libido.Prolactin (PRL) - The lack of prolactin will lead to inability to breastfeed.Oxytocin (OXT) - The lack of oxytocin will cause difficulties in childbirth and breastfeeding.Patients suffering from hypopituitarism are on constant medication (hormonal replacements) and under tight control by an endocrinologist, but they can live relatively normal lives.
Does an MRI scan on a pituitary gland just show the gland itself or the whole head?
Q. Does an MRI scan on a pituitary gland just show the gland itself or the whole head?A. Pituitary MRI (an approach)
What will happen if the whole pituitary gland is removed from the body?
the Pituitary gland is also called as the MASTER GLAND.It secretes many hormones :GROWTH HORMONE : If the pituitary gland is removed then the growth hormone wont be secreted and hence it will stunt growth.TSH ( thyroid stimulating hormone ) : If it isn’t secreted, then it could cause hypothyroidism.Prolactin : this hormone helps in breastfeeding. if the pituitary gland is removed then it would not be possible.Oxytocin : it may cause difficulties in childbirth.FSH and LH : If this is not secreted then women may have irregularities in menses and infertility. And in men , it causes infertility and impotence and loss of libido.NOTE : there are other hormones which are secreted by the pituitary gland , by i am not aware of its importances and side effects.
What does "grossly normal" mean in medical terms?
It means there is nothing wrong or pathologic with it as it appears with the naked eye. And as it appears in its totality or unaltered state. For example, when a specimen or an organ is taken out and submitted to pathology for examination, it is inspected first without the aid of any gadget to magnify or colorize it. It can be cut though and inspected in sections but still without magnification. If it looks entirely like that of a normal organ, then it is labelled ¨grossly normal¨. This is in contrast to how it appears under the microscope. The confusion arose when we started using the word ¨gross¨ as something unappealing. In the past this was not so. The word also means ¨in totality¨. Just like when we use it to contrast to the word ¨net¨. Ex. gross income vs net income.