Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

2A - Endocrine System > Pathology of Endocrine System 2 > Flashcards

Pathology of Endocrine System 2 Flashcards

1
Q

Where is the pituitary gland located?

A

Sella turcica

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the pituitary gland connected to the hypothalamus by?

A

Pituitary stalk

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the 2 distinct components of the pituitary gland?

A

Anterior pituitary

Posterior pituitary

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the anterior pituitary also called?

A

Adenohypophysis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Which componenet of the pituitary gland is the larger?

A

Anterior pituitary (is 80% of mass)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What does the anterior pituitary secrete?

A

ACTH

TSH

GH

Prolactin

FSH/LH

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the secretion of hormones from the anterior pituitary controlled by?

A

Release factors from hypothalamus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Where does the blood supply to the anterior pituitary come from?

A

Hypothalamus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the posterior pituitary also called?

A

Neurohypophysis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What does the posterior pituitary secrete?

A

ADH

Oxytocin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the most common cause of pituitary hyperfunction?

A

Pituitary adenoma (carcinomas are very rare and also some hypothalamic disorders)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What age group does pituitary adenoma usually affect?

A

35-60 years

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Is there a genetic predisposition to pituitary adenoma?

A

MEN-1

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is the effect of a functioning pituitary adenoma?

A
  • Effects if functioning is hormone excess
    • Prolactinoma 20-30%
      • Galactorrhoea, menstrual disorders
    • GH secreting
      • Acromegaly, gigantism
    • ACTH secreting
      • Cushing’s disease
    • Non-functioning 25-30%
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

If a pituitary adenoma is a prolactinoma, what does it cause?

A

Galactorrhoea

Menstrual disorders

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

If a pituitary adenoma is a GH secreting, what does it cause?

A

Acromegaly

Gigantism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

If a pituitary adenoma is a ACTH secreting what does it cause?

A

Cushing’s disease

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What can happen if a pituitary adenoma is large?

A
  • If large, can have a mass pressure effect
    • Radiographic abnormalities
    • Visual field abnormalities
    • Elevated intracranial pressure
    • Compression damage, such as hypopituitarism
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What percentage of pituitary function needs to be los to be considered pituitary hypofunction?

A

75%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What can cause pituitary hypofunction?

A

Compression by tumours

Trauma

Infection (rare)

Post partum ischaemic necrosis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What infections can cause pituitary hypofunction?

A

TB

Sarcoidosis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are the adrenal glands composed of?

A

Adrenal cortex

Adrenal medulla

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What classification of hormones does the adrenal cortex secrete?

A

Steroid hormones

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What are the 3 layers of the adrenal cortex?

A
  • Zona glomerulosa secretes mineralocorticoids (aldosterone)
  • Zona fasciculate secretes glucocorticoids (cortisol)
  • Zona reticularis secretes sex steroids
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What does the zona glomerulosa secrete?

A

Minerlocorticoids (aldosterone)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What does the zona fasciculate secrete?

A

Glucocorticoids (cortisol)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What does the zona reticularis secrete?

A

Sex steroids

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What does the adrenal medulla secrete?

A

Adrenaline/noradrenaline

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

What cells are found in the adrenal medulla?

A

Neuroendocrine (chromaffin) cells

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

What are some examples of the classifications of adrenal pathology?

A
  • Hyperfunction
  • Hypofunction
  • Mass lesion
  • Effect depends on disease process which could be atrophy, normal, hyperplasia or tumour
31
Q

What are the 3 syndromes for adrenal cortical hyperfunction?

A
  • Hypercortisolism
    • Called Cushing’s syndrome
  • Hyperaldosteronism
    • Called Conn’s syndrome
  • Adrenogenital syndromes
32
Q

What is hypercorticolism called?

A

Cushing’s syndrome

33
Q

What is hyperaldosteronism called?

A

Conn’s syndrome

34
Q

What is the aetiology of hypercortisolism?

A
  • Exogenous
    • Iatrogenic steroids
  • Endogenous
    • ACTH dependent
      • Pituitary adenoma Cushing’s disease 70%
      • Ectopic ACTH
    • ACTH independent
      • Functioning adrenal adenoma 10%
35
Q

What is the main cause of ACTH dependent hypercortisolism?

A

Pituitary adenoma Cushing’s disease 70%

Ectopic ACTH

36
Q

What is the main cause of ACTH independent hypercortisolism?

A

Functioning adrenal adenoma

37
Q

How is hypercortisolism diagnosed?

A

Measuring cortisol, ACTH and response to ACTH suppresion

38
Q

What is the aetiology of hyperaldosteronism?

A

Bilateral idiopathic hyperplasia

Functioning adrenal adenoma

39
Q

What is the clinical presentation of hyperaldosteronism?

A

Increased sodium retention in nephron

Maybe asymptomatic

May have muscular weakness, tingling, spasms, hypertension, headaches

40
Q

What are some adrenogenital syndromes?

A
  • Functioning adrenal tumour
  • Pituitary tumour such as Cushing’s disease
  • Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (due to steroid enzyme deficiency)
41
Q

What is the clinical presentation of adrenogenital syndrome?

A

Ambiguous genitalia

Precocious puberty

Failure of puberty

Infertility

42
Q

What is adrenal insufficiency caused by?

A

Destruction of the adrenal glands

43
Q

What can cause acute adrenal insufficiency?

A

Meningococal septicaemia

44
Q

What can cause chronic adrenal insufficiency?

A
  • Primary is Addison’s disease
    • Caused by
      • Autoimmune
        • Autoimmune polyendocrine syndromes
      • Infections
        • TB, fungus HIV related infections
      • Replacement
        • Metastatic carcinoma amyloidosis
      • Atrophy
        • Prolonged steroid therapy
      • Congenital
  • Secondary is pituitary failure
45
Q

What are some causes of Addison’s disease?

A
  • Autoimmune
    • Autoimmune polyendocrine syndromes
  • Infections
    • TB, fungus HIV related infections
  • Replacement
    • Metastatic carcinoma amyloidosis
  • Atrophy
    • Prolonged steroid therapy
  • Congenital
46
Q

What do functioning adenomas in the adrenal cortex cause?

A

Hyperadrenal syndromes

Atrophy of adjacent cortex

47
Q

What is the histology of adrenal adenomas?

48
Q

What are the different kinds of adrenal carcinoma?

A

Primary adrenocortical carcinoma

Metastatic carcinoma

49
Q

Are primary adrenocortical carcinomas more likely to be functioning or non-functional?

A

Functional

50
Q

How does primary adrenocortical carcinoma often metastasis?

A

By lymphatics and blood, invades adrenal vein

51
Q

Is primary adrenocortical carcinoma or metastatic carcinoma of adrenal gland more common?

A

Metastatic carcinoma

52
Q

Where do metastatic carcinomas in the adrenal glands often come from?

A

Lung or breast

53
Q

What is an example of an adrenal medullary tumour?

A

Phaeochromocytoma

54
Q

What does phaeochromocytoma secrete and in turn cause?

A

Carecholamines causing hypertension

55
Q

Is there a genetic predisposition to phaeochromocytoma?

A

Up to 30% is inherited, such as due to MEN2 or SDH

56
Q

What is the histology of phaechromocytoma?

A

Nests of polygonal cells in vascular network

Granular cytoplasm containing catecholamines

57
Q

What are multiple endocrine neoplasia?

A

Inherited disorders with underlying gentic mutation

58
Q

What does MEN stand for?

A

Multiple endocrine neoplasia

59
Q

What does MEN cause?

A

Hyperplasia/neoplasms of endocrine organs

60
Q

When is the term MEN used?

A

Whe there is two or more distinct endocrine tumours due to one syndrome

61
Q

What are some different MEN syndromes?

A

MEN1 (Wermer syndrome)

MEN2 (MEN2A and MEN2B)

62
Q

What is MEN1 also known as?

A

Wermer syndrome

63
Q

What does the MEN1 tumour suppressor gene mutation cause defect in?

A

Menin protein

64
Q

What tumours are associated with MEN1 syndrome?

A
  • Parathyroid hyperplasia and adenomas
  • Pancreatic and duodenal endocrine tumours (causing hypoglycaemia and ulcers)
  • Pituitary adenoma (prolactinoma)
65
Q

What is the function of the menin protein?

A

Involved in regulating cell growth

66
Q

What is MEN2 syndrome caused by?

A

RET proto-oncogene mutations

67
Q

What tumours are associated with MEN2?

A

Medullar carcinoma of thyroid and phaeochromocytoma

68
Q

What is MEN2A also known as?

A

Sipple syndrome

69
Q

What is MEN2A due to?

A

Extracellular domain auto dimerisation of RET receptor

70
Q

What tumours are associated with MEN2A?

A

Medullary carcinoma of thyroid, phaeochromocytoma and parathyroid hyperplasia

71
Q

Is MEN2A or MEN2B more likely to affect younger patients?

72
Q

What is MEN2B due to?

A

Autoactivation of tyrosine kinase pathway

73
Q

What tumours are associated with MEN2B?

A
  • Causes medullary carcinoma of thyroid, phaeochromocytoma and parathyroid hyperplasia
  • Plus neuromas of skin and mucous membrane, skeletal abnormalities
74
Q

What is the normal function of RET gene?

A

Provide instruction for producing a protein involved in signalling within cells

2A - Endocrine System (26 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions