Endocrinology

German: Endokrinologie

	Table of contents
	1. Definition 2. Fields of activity 3. Taxonomy and classification 4. Common diseaes 5. Common diagnostic methods

Definition

Endocrinology is a scientific and clinical discipline that deals with hormones.

Fields of activity

Main foci of endocrinology are on the one hand investigation of hormonal signal transfer systems with genetical, molecular biological, biochemical, pharmacological, cybernetical and statistical methods, and on the other hand in the clinical setting diagnosis, therapy and prevention of hormonal diseases and disorders.

Taxonomy and classification

In clinical areas endocrinology is a subfield of internal medicine, gynecology, urology, pediatrics, nuclear medicine, and surgery. Furthermore, there are points of contact with neurology, psychiatry, and intensive care. In theory, physiology, biochemistry, medical cybernetics, and outside of medicine zoology and botanics deal with endocrinological questions.

Important subfields of endocrinology are diabtology, thyroidology, neuroendocrinology, pediatric endocrinology and reproductive endocrinology.

Common diseaes

• Diabetes mellitus
  • Type 1 Diabetes mellitus
  • Type 2 Diabetes mellitus
  • Other Diabetes types
• Thyroid diseases
  • Goiter
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Thyrotoxicosis
  • Thyroid-Carcinomas
• Endocrine Hypertension
• Disorders of calcium and bone metabolism
  • Hyperparathyreoidism
  • Hypoparathyreoidism
  • Osteoporosis
  • Rickets und phosphate diabetes
• Dysregulations of electrolyte and fluid balance
  • Diabetes insipidus
  • SIADH (Schwartz-Bartter-Syndrome)
  • Hyperaldosteronism
• Growth disorders
  • Dwarfism and microsomia
  • Gigantism
  • Acromegaly
• Functional disorders and diseaes of adrenal gland
  • Addison's syndrome
  • Cushing's syndrome
  • Conn's syndrome
• diseaes of the neuroendocrine system
• Dysregulations of sexual hormones
  • Hypogonadism
  • Hypergonadism
  • Hyperprolaktinemia
• Dysregulations of intermediary and energy metabolism
  • Obesity

Common diagnostic methods

• History
• Blood taking, determination and interpretation of hormones im Serum, Plasma and full blood
  • conventional venous punction
  • SPINA, HOMA and minimal model
• determination of hormones and metabolites in urine
• Spermiograms
• Punction and cytological investigation of endocrine organs
• Sonography
  • Thyroid sonography
  • Parathyroid sonography
  • Adrenal sonography
• Radiological diagnostics
• Computerized tomography
• MRT
• Szintigraphy and PET-investigations