Endocrine Aspects of Sarcoidosis

Abstract

Pituitary Gland and HypothalamusThe pituitary gland and hypothalamus have been invaded by sarcoid granulomas more frequently than any other endocrine gland. Sarcoidosis of these vital organs may be asymptomatic, or may cause some of the most serious and dramatic complications of the disease. The frequent finding of vascular and perivascular granulomas in histologic sections from this area^{124 125 126} suggests that vascular channels are important in the pathogenesis of hypothalamic-pituitary sarcoidosis. The importance of other factors is reflected in the failure of the richly vascularized anterior pituitary gland to harbor sarcoid lesions as frequently as the posterior lobe.¹²⁷ In addition, transmission . . .