How is acromegaly diagnosed?

If it is suspected a person has acromegaly, their healthcare professional will refer them to a specialist nurse or endocrinologist for a blood test which measures the levels of growth hormone and the amount of IGF-I.
A single assessment of growth hormone cannot confirm a patient has acromegaly so a healthcare professional may also perform an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) ​​​​​​​.
In people who have acromegaly the intake in sugar will not cause a reduction in the secretion in growth hormone and instead GH levels in the blood stay high.
If a patient is found to have acromegaly, the healthcare professional will order further tests and scans to determine to what extent the pituitary gland has been affected as well as the size and location of the benign pituitary tumour.

What are the treatment options after diagnosis?

While acromegaly is a chronic ​​​​​​​ disease and can seriously affect the lives of the people who have it, currently available treatment options allow most people with acromegaly to keep their condition under control and limit discomfort. In many cases, people with acromegaly can play an active role in their treatment, which is why it is so important to know exactly what acromegaly is and what the treatment entails.
Acromegaly can be treated by surgery, radiotherapy, and medication. Treatment may consist of just one of these or a combination of various treatments. Acromegaly treatment aims to reduce levels of growth hormone and IGF-I ​​​​​​​ in the blood and reduce the size of the benign pituitary tumour, so symptoms are kept under control.
In general, people with acromegaly will move from one step to the next if treatment goals are still not met or side effects aren’t acceptable. However acromegaly treatment is not linear in all cases and will be individualised or similar.

A second surgery might be recommended if the first attempt was not successful in either removing all the tumour or controlling the disease (remission). If further surgery is not appropriate, medical therapy and/or radiotherapy may be recommended as part of the ongoing treatment.

Read diagnosed booklet

Acromegaly is as unique as you are. Download our information sheet to find out how it may affect you and what check-ups you may need to help manage your acromegaly.

Download diagnosed booklet

Living with acromegaly and wellbeing

The symptoms associated with acromegaly can also have an impact on the physical well being and quality of life for people affected.

However, finding out about treatment and gaining support from friends, family and healthcare professionals is of course a vital part of dealing with the condition.

Read acromegaly patient story

Getting a diagnosis from a healthcare professional will be the first step in your acromegaly journey. It may also be helpful to hear from other people who have acromegaly and have shared their experience.

Patient story