A 32-year-old woman is found to have an empty sella.Which is the most common endocrine evaluation you would expect to find in this patient?
High-Yield Explanation
The empty sella syndrome is frequently encountered as the result of x-ray examination of the head for reasons other than suspected pituitary disease. It occurs commonly in obese multiparous women with hypeension. An incomplete diaphragm sella is thought to allow an arachnoid diveiculum containing cerebrospinal fluid to protrude into the sella, which in turn displaces and compresses the pituitary gland. Pituitary function remains intact, and no fuher workup is indicated unless there is clinical evidence of endocrine abnormalities. Occasionally hyperprolactinemia may occur as the result of stretching of the pituitary stalk or of a coincidental microprolactinoma