[Topography of the hypophysis and its neighboring structures]

The first part of the article informs about four points: the skeletal structures of the middle cranial fossa, the basic divisions of the gland and their connections with the hypothalamus, its blood supply, and its development. The topographic part deals with the incorporation of the pituitary gland in the sella turcica, its relationship to the meninges, the subarachnoid cavity and other neighbouring structures, especially the sphenoidal sinus, the posterior ethmoidal cells as well as the chiasma opticum. With respect to the latter, the position of the fibres in the optic nerve, chiasma and optic tract and the consequences of lesions in characteristic areas are described. Finally, the variant structures of the cavernous sinus and the topography of its contents are discussed. Detailed data can be found about the course of the oculomotor nerves and the possible locations of their lesions.