[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [General pathology](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/) › Endocrine system # Endocrine system Pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, endocrine pancreas, adrenal and endocrine neoplasia syndromes. 34 pages ## Lesion - [**Adrenocortical adenoma and carcinoma** Adrenal lumps are often found by chance on scans](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/adrenocortical-adenoma-and-carcinoma/) - [**Adrenocortical insufficiency** When the adrenals stop making cortisol and aldosterone, the body cannot handle stress](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/adrenocortical-insufficiency/) - [**Cushing syndrome: causes and the adrenals** Cushing syndrome is too much cortisol](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/cushing-syndrome-causes-and-the-adrenals/) - [**Diabetes: chronic lesions** Long-standing diabetes leaves recognisable marks in vessels, kidneys, eyes and nerves](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/diabetes-chronic-lesions/) - [**Follicular thyroid carcinoma and NIFTP** Follicular cancer looks like normal thyroid tissue](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/follicular-thyroid-carcinoma-and-niftp/) - [**Goitre: diffuse and multinodular** A goitre is an enlarged thyroid](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/goitre-diffuse-and-multinodular/) - [**Graves disease** In Graves disease an antibody switches the thyroid on permanently](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/graves-disease/) - [**Hashimoto thyroiditis** The immune system slowly destroys the thyroid](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/hashimoto-thyroiditis/) - [**Hyperaldosteronism: primary and secondary** Too much aldosterone from the adrenal causes high blood pressure and low potassium](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/hyperaldosteronism-primary-and-secondary/) - [**Hypopituitarism and posterior pituitary disorders** When most of the pituitary is destroyed, the glands it controls fail](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/hypopituitarism-and-posterior-pituitary-disorders/) - [**Lactotroph PitNET (prolactinoma)** A prolactinoma makes too much prolactin, so periods stop and the breasts leak milk](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/lactotroph-pitnet/) - [**Medullary thyroid carcinoma** A thyroid cancer of the calcitonin-making cells](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/medullary-thyroid-carcinoma/) - [**Other thyroiditis: de Quervain, painless, Riedel** Besides Hashimoto, the thyroid can be inflamed after a virus, after childbirth or by scarring](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/other-thyroiditis-de-quervain-painless-riedel/) - [**Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours** Rare pancreas tumours of hormone cells](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/pancreatic-neuroendocrine-tumours/) - [**Papillary thyroid carcinoma** The commonest thyroid cancer](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/papillary-thyroid-carcinoma/) - [**Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma** A tumour of the adrenal medulla that pours out adrenaline-like hormones, causing attacks of high…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/pheochromocytoma-and-paraganglioma/) - [**Pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (PitNETs): overview** Most pituitary tumours are benign growths of one hormone-making cell line](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/pituitary-neuroendocrine-tumours-overview/) - [**Poorly differentiated and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma** A few thyroid cancers lose their resemblance to thyroid tissue and grow very fast](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/poorly-differentiated-and-anaplastic-thyroid-carcinoma/) - [**Primary hyperparathyroidism** One overactive parathyroid gland, usually a benign adenoma, raises blood calcium](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/primary-hyperparathyroidism/) - [**Somatotroph PitNET: gigantism and acromegaly** A tumour that makes too much growth hormone makes children grow very tall and makes adults'…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/somatotroph-pitnet-gigantism-and-acromegaly/) - [**Suprasellar and pineal tumours: craniopharyngioma** Some tumours near the pituitary come from leftover embryonic tissue, not from hormone cells](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/suprasellar-and-pineal-tumours-craniopharyngioma/) - [**Thyroid nodule and follicular adenoma** Thyroid lumps are common and most are harmless](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/thyroid-nodule-and-follicular-adenoma/) ## Mechanism - [**Congenital adrenal hyperplasia** In congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a missing enzyme blocks cortisol production](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/congenital-adrenal-hyperplasia/) - [**Diabetes: acute complications (DKA, HHS)** Very high sugar can turn the blood acidic (ketoacidosis) or dangerously concentrated…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/diabetes-acute-complications/) - [**Diabetes: how hyperglycaemia damages tissue** Years of high sugar damage small and large blood vessels and nerves, through several chemical…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/diabetes-how-hyperglycaemia-damages-tissue/) - [**Hypothyroidism: causes** Too little thyroid hormone slows the body](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/hypothyroidism-causes/) - [**Monogenic and gestational diabetes** A few people have diabetes from a single gene change](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/monogenic-and-gestational-diabetes/) - [**Secondary hyperparathyroidism and hypoparathyroidism** When calcium stays low, the parathyroids grow to compensate](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/secondary-hyperparathyroidism-and-hypoparathyroidism/) - [**Thyroid cancer: genetics and radiation** Each kind of thyroid cancer has its own gene changes](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/thyroid-cancer-genetics-and-radiation/) - [**Thyrotoxicosis: causes** Too much thyroid hormone speeds up the whole body](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/thyrotoxicosis-causes/) - [**Type 1 diabetes** In type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys the insulin-making cells](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/type-1-diabetes/) - [**Type 2 diabetes** In type 2 diabetes the body's cells stop listening to insulin, and over time the pancreas cannot…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/type-2-diabetes/) ## Topic - [**Diabetes mellitus: diagnosis and classification** Diabetes means blood sugar stays too high, because the body lacks insulin or does not respond to…](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/diabetes-mellitus-diagnosis-and-classification/) - [**Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes** Inherited syndromes that cause tumours in several hormone glands](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/multiple-endocrine-neoplasia-syndromes/) ## A to Z - [A](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/a/) - [B](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/b/) - [C](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/c/) - [D](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/d/) - [E](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/e/) - [F](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/f/) - [G](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/g/) - [H](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/h/) - [I](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/i/) - [J](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/j/) - [K](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/k/) - [L](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/l/) - [M](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/m/) - [N](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/n/) - [O](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/o/) - [P](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/p/) - [R](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/r/) - [S](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/s/) - [T](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/t/) - [U](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/u/) - [V](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/v/) - [W](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/a-z/w/) [← General pathology](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/) Educational content on the mechanisms of disease; not a diagnostic or treatment guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. 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