Pituitary gland
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Pituitary gland is located within the sella turcica of the sphenoid bone.
Anterior and posterior pituitary lobe
Adenohypophysis | Neurohypophysis |
---|---|
75% of the gland
|
25% of the gland
|
Hypophyseal portal system
- Hypophyseal portal system is formed by the superior hypophyseal arteries (supraclinoid ICA) and the inferior hypophyseal arteries (branch of cavernous ICA meningohypophyseal trunk).
- These arteries join in and around the pituitary stalk and form sinusoids that feed the infundibulum and the anterior pituitary gland.
- The superior hypophyseal artery supplies the infundibulum and the median eminence.
- The inferior hypophyseal artery supplies the posterior pituitary lobe.
Superior hypophyseal artery
- several small arteries arising from the posteromedial portion of the intradural ICA
- They course beneath the optic nerve to supply:
- Pituitary (anterior pituitary lobe, pituitary stalk) and tuber cinereum
- Optic nerve and chiasm (inferior surface)
Inferior hypophyseal a.
- ⇒ posterior lobe of pituitary
- postpartum occlusion causes pituitary infarcts (Sheehan's necrosis): however, DI is rare because the stalk is spared