Gigantism : Tests

CT or MRI scan of the head showing pituitary tumor; Failure to suppress serum growth hormone (GH) levels after an oral glucose challenge (maximum 75g; High prolactin levels; Increased insulin growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels. Damage to the pituitary...

During a physical examination, a health care provider studies a patient's body to determine the presence or absence of physical problems. A typical physical examination includes: Inspection (looking at the body) Palpation (feeling the body with hands) Auscultation (listening to sounds) Percussion (producing sounds)

An MRI of the head is a non-invasive procedure that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to construct clear, detailed pictures of brain tissues. Unlike conventional radiography and computed tomography (CT), which make use of potentially harmful x-rays passing through a patient to generate images, MRI imaging is based on the magnetic properties of atoms. A powerful magnet generates a magnetic field roughly 10,000 times stronger than the Earth's. A very small percentage of hydrogen atoms within the body will align with this field. The "nuclear" in the original name (nuclear magnetic resonance imaging) -- now seldom used -- refers to the proton in the nucleus of the hydrogen atom and does not imply radioactivity. When focused short radio wave pulses are broadcast towards the aligned hydrogen atoms in tissues of interest, they will return a signal of their own. The subtle differences in that signal from dissimilar tissues enables the MRI to differentiate between various organs, and potentially, provide contrast between benign and malignant (cancerous) tissue. Any imaging plane, or slice, can be projected, and then stored in a computer or printed on film. MRI is easily performed through clothing and bones. However, certain types of metal in or around the area of interest can cause significant errors in the reconstructed images. These errors are called artifacts.

Detailed information on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including information on how the procedure is performed

Growth hormone test measures the amount of the growth hormone in blood.

Growth hormone (hGH), or somatotropin, is a hormone responsible for normal body growth and development by stimulating protein production in muscle cells and energy release from the breakdown of fats. Tests for growth hormone include Somatotropin hormone test, Somatomedin C, Growth hormone suppression test (glucose loading test), and Growth hormone stimulation test (Arginine test or Insulin tolerance test).

Growth hormone tests measure the levels of specific hormones that regulate human growth. These hormone levels are measured in blood serum samples obtained by venipuncture.