General information AKA adrenal insufficiency. Assessment: 8 A.M. serum cortisol level is the best way to test for hypocortisolism. Each lab should provide a lower limit of normal for their lab, which may be broken down further by age and gender.
see Addison's disease.
Radiation injury to the remaining normal pituitary results in hypocortisolism, hypogonadism, or hypothyroidism in 40–50% of patients after 10 years. It may also injure the optic nerve and chiasm (possibly causing blindness), cause lethargy, memory disturbances, cranial nerve palsies, and tumor necrosis with hemorrhage and apoplexy. Cure rates but also complications are higher after proton beam therapy.