Acromegaly overview
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Acromegaly Microchapters |
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Diagnosis |
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Treatment |
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Case Studies |
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Acromegaly overview On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Acromegaly overview |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Acromegaly (from Greek akros "extreme" or "extremities" and megalos "large" - extremities enlargement) is a hormonal disorder that results when the pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone (hGH). Most commonly it begins when a GH producing tumor derived from a distinct type of cells (somatotrophs) and called pituitary adenoma.
Acromegaly most commonly affects middle-aged adults and can result in serious illness and premature death. Because of its insidious pathogenesis and slow progression, the disease is hard to diagnose in the early stages and is frequently missed for many years.