Pituitary Multidisciplinary Service

We provide an integrated, consultant-led approach to the diagnosis, management and long-term follow up of patients with all aspects of pituitary disease.

The innovative ICHNT pituitary multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings use videolink for interactive discussion between ICHNT sites (Charing Cross, Hammersmith and St Mary’s), and also with clinicians in neighbouring London hospitals including Central Middlesex, Hillingdon, Ealing, and Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals. Our comprehensive, structured management of patients with complex pituitary disease and our integrated approach to pituitary care ensures our service meets all the objectives outlined in the recent NHS Commissioning Support for London cancer project.

The strength of our Pituitary Multidisciplinary Service has attracted high levels of national interest such that in 2010, we were commissioned by Surrey Primary Care Trust to provide pituitary surgery for all Surrey patients. This has made us the single largest pituitary service in London.

In collaboration with obstetric colleagues at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea hospital, we are highly experienced in the management of pituitary disease in pregnancy.

We have developed evidence-based protocols for diagnosis, and post-operative assessment of all pituitary conditions. Another major strength of our service is our strong track record in pituitary research. Our research programme has made significant contributions to the management of pituitary disease, including international guidelines by the Endocrine Society for the diagnosis of Cushing’s syndrome.

In conjunction with our medical obstetric colleagues at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea hospital, we also have considerable experience in managing pituitary tumours in pregnancy.

Pituitary gland disorders we see and treat at the Imperial Endocrine unit include:

    • Non-functioning tumours

    • Prolactinoma

    • Acromegaly

    • Growth hormone deficiency (adults): patients can be treated with growth hormone replacement and advice on administering growth hormone injection is provided by our specialist growth hormone nurse.

    • Craniopharyngioma

    • Diabetes insipidus

    • Hypopituitarism and pituitary gland hormone replacement

    • Cushing’s disease: We are a leading centre of excellence in Cushing's disease and have been responsible for producing diagnostic protocols that are currently used to treat patients with this rare condition within hospitals throughout the world. Furthermore, our interventional radiologist Dr James Jackson provides inferior petrosal sinus sampling for the diagnosis of Cushing’s disease. The Imperial Endocrine Protocols (the Endocrine Bible) have been published online for all hospitals to use for over 20 years.

The Multidisciplinary Pituitary Service Team

Pituitary surgery - Nigel Mendoza and Ramesh Nair

Neuroradiology - Amrish Mehta

Interventional Radiology - highly skilled interventional radiologists, led by the internationally renowned James Jackson, perform inferior petrosal sinus sampling in ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome.

Neuropathology - Federico Roncaroli is the UK’s only dedicated pituitary pathologist and brings his international expertise in pituitary neuropathology to our service.

Clinical Oncology - Alison Falconer has a specific interest in pituitary radiotherapy.

All Consultant Endocrinologists across three ICHNT sites (Charing Cross, Hammersmith and St Mary’s) are expert in the management of pituitary disease.

Endocrine Specialist Nurse - Debbie Papadopoulou provides essential patient education, particularly regarding pituitary hormone replacement treatment, and training in self-injection of growth hormone and somatostatin analogues.

Pituitary Multidisciplinary Service co-ordinator - Diane Williams. To refer a patient to our pituitary services, please contact our pituitary MDT co-ordinator Diane Williams (diane.williams@imperial.nhs.uk).

Private Pituitary Service