Anatomy of the thyroid, parathyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands

A detailed understanding of anatomy is essential for several reasons: to enable accurate diagnosis and plan appropriate management; to perform surgery in a safe and effective manner avoiding damage to adjacent structures; and to anticipate and recognize variations in normal anatomy. This article will cover the anatomy of four major endocrine glands (thyroid, parathyroid, pituitary and adrenal). Other endocrine glands (such as the hypothalamus, pineal gland, thymus, endocrine pancreas and the gonads) are beyond the scope of this article. In addition to gross anatomy, clinically relevant embryological and histological details of these four glands are also discussed.