Pituitary dwarfism

Alternative names:

dwarfism; growth hormone deficiency; panhypopituitarism

Symptoms:

• absent or slowed growth (height)
• growth, slow (child 0-5 years)
• short stature (adult is less than 5 feet tall)
• short stature (child is below 5th percentile on standardized growth chart)
• delayed sexual development in an adolescent or
• absent sexual development
• headaches
• excessive thirst coupled with excessive urination (increased volume)
• increased urine volume

Signs and tests:

A physical examination including weight, height and body proportions will show signs of retarded growth rate and deviation from normal growth curves.

Tests:

• A determination of bone age from hand X- ray (extremity X-ray) is often recommended.
• Measurement of growth hormone levels confirms that the disorder is caused by dysfunction of the pituitary gland.
• other hormone levels may be determined as lack of growth hormone may not be an isolated problem.
• X-ray, skull (small sella, empty sella, enlarged sella, space occupying lesion)
• CT scan, head
• MRI, head