n. a rare condition of inflammation of the *pituitary gland (hypophysis). The main cause is an infiltration by lymphocytes, most commonly during or just after pregnancy. This usually presents as a mass lesion of the pituitary with visual-field loss and headache or with anterior *hypopituitarism, which may be total or just involve particular hormone systems. Around 50% of cases are associated with other autoimmune endocrine diseases, and antipituitary antibodies have been identified.
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