#1- Endocrine Anatomy

Question 1

Pituitary Gland vascular supply:

Answer 1

Superior, middle and inferior hypophyseal arteries which branch from the internal carotid arteries

Question 2

Pituitary gland location:

Answer 2

Located in the sella turcica of the sphenoid bone; inferior to the optic chiasm

Question 3

Pituitary gland is connected to the hypothalamus via the

Answer 3

Infundibulum stalk

Question 4

Adrenal glands are located

Answer 4

Anterior to the kidneys

Right is more “pyramidal shaped” and left is more “crescent shaped”

Question 5

Adrenal glands vascular supply

Answer 5

Superior, Middle, and Inferior suprarenal arteries

Question 6

Adrenal glands nerve supply:

Answer 6

Rich nerve supply from the celiac plexus and the splanchnic nerves that supply the cortex, while presynaptic sympathetic fibers (mainly from spinal cord levels T10 and L1) supply the medulla

Question 7

Location of the pancreas:

Answer 7

Head is in the “C” of the duodenum and the tail lies in the LUQ and the spleen; lies posterior to the stomach
- divided into 4 segments: head, neck, body; tail

Question 8

Vascular supply of the pancreas:

Answer 8

Mainly splenic artery

- also, branches from the gastroduodenal and superior mesenteric artery

Question 9

Nerve supply of the pancreas:

Answer 9

Nerves from the vagus and splanchnic

Question 10

Potential anatomical weakness associated w/ pituitary gland:

Answer 10

• Pituitary gland is located in the sella tursica—> w/ a very thin floor and directly next to sphenoid sinus. Sinus infx—> disruption of boney layer and invasion into pituitary gland.
• Roof of pituitary is narrow near infundibulum: no room for tumor growth; gland is surrounded by a boney socket, except superiorly- where optic chiasm is.

Question 11

Thyroid gland location

Answer 11

Anterior to the trachea and larynx; isthmus (joining right and left lobes) just inferior to the cricoid cartilage of larynx over tracheal cartilage
- lobes project superiorly on lateral aspect of thyroid cartilage

Question 12

Artery supply of thyroid gland

Answer 12

Superior, inferior, and thyroidea (only 10% w/) ima arteries

Question 13

Nerve supply to thyroid gland

Answer 13

Cardiac and laryngeal (external or recurrent) branches of the vagus nerve

Question 14

Location of the parathyroid gland

Answer 14

Posterior surface of the thyroid gland right and left lobes (superior and inferior) on the external capsule of the thyroid

Question 15

Arterial supply to the parathyroid glands:

Answer 15

Branches of the inferior thyroid artery, but quite varied

Question 16

Nerve supply to parathyroid gland:

Answer 16

Abundant; derived from the thyroid branches of the cervical sympathetic ganglia