After the biochemical diagnosis of acromegaly or gigantism is made, what is the next step?
- Excessive secretion of GH is almost always caused by a benign pituitary tumor. Therefore, the next step is to obtain a radiologic study of the pituitary gland.
- The optimal study is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with special cuts through the pituitary gland.
- MRI can help assess tumor size, location, and invasiveness, which are all important for the pituitary surgeon.
