Ultrasound of the pancreas: normal and pathology
Ultrasound of the pancreas or the pancreas is non-invasive, i.e. without penetration into the body, the method of diagnostic pathology. To perform this study using the ultrasound transducer, which emits ultrasound waves. The research data is recorded and displayed on the monitor. After that, the expert gives an opinion, and the doctor interpreterpath results, given the patient’s complaints, clinical disease, and data analyses.
Most often, ultrasound of the pancreas, the patient appoints a specialist for diagnosis of a disease. However, the study is preferably carried out each adult to achieve twenty-five years. As it is preventive inspections allow you to identify many diseases of the body that may not manifest clinically for a long time.
Indications for the procedure
To perform ultrasound of the pancreas there is a large range of indications:
- pain, that is, the occurrence of acute or prolonged pain in the left upper quadrant (with the transition in the back) in the right upper quadrant and cutting bottled;
- the occurrence of pain during palpation of the left hypochondrium, extending into the left side, the back, in the umbilical region and right hypochondrium;
- chronic dysfunction of the intestine, alternating constipation, diarrhoea, as this condition may indicate a violation of the functions of the described entity;
- deviation of laboratory values, indicating the violation of his functions;
- suspicion for the development of pancreatitis, acute or chronic;
- trauma to the abdomen;
- diabetes mellitus, regardless of its type.
Appointment for ultrasound of the pancreas in adults give therapists, gastroenterologists, surgeons, endocrinologists.
The main indication for this method of research in children is pain in the navel or the upper abdomen. Also ultrasound of the pancreas in children is done when abdominal trauma; determination of any formation of the abdominal cavity in the probing; diabetes in children; yellow eyes (suspicion or exclusion….; the appearance of bitter taste in mouth, flatulence (flatulence). Examinations are prescribed by the pediatrician, pediatric gastroenterologist or surgeon.
The main characteristics of the investigated organ are its size and echogenicity or measure of the density and fabric structure. This estimated the total length of the pancreas and the size of each division, namely the head, body and tail.
The normal sizes of this on the child and the adult are different. The children sizes are rapidly increasing up to the first year of life, and then grow more slowly. On reaching the child of majority the options described on reach the size of an adult.
In the adult the length of the pancreas can be from 15 to 23 cm the head size must not exceed 35 mm, the body should not be more than 25 mm; and the tail is not more than 30 mm. Changes in these parameters may indicate the development of the pathological process in it.
Echogenicity is an important indicator of the norms of the test body. Echogenicity is a term used to describe the ability of one tissue to reflect Ultrazvuk. The same echogenicity of the pancreas shows the ability of the fabric of this body to reflect high frequency sound.
Normal structure of the pancreas should be homogeneous, accordingly, must be homogeneous and the echogenicity of the whole gland tissue. In the monitor normal echogenicity grayed out if the echogenicity is increased, it is displayed with a light grey or even white in color.
Sometimes, however, a diffuse increase in echogenicity can be observed in a healthy person. It depends on correctness of preparation for study, correct nutrition, and so on. Also measure the norm of this body are the clarity of its contours.
Evaluation and most common diseases
Interpretation of results ultrasound of the pancreas should only be a specialist, sent for the execution of this study. So how to make the right conclusions from the results of the survey is only given the complaints of man and of disease.
The most common disease of this organ is inflammation or pancreatitis. This state is characterized by the increase in the size of the pancreas, its echogenicity increases and the margins become blurred. With pancreatitis at different stages are determined by various changes, which allow not only to diagnose the inflammatory process, but also to establish the degree of severity.
Inflammation of the glands is also observed in children. For pancreatitis in children is also characterized by increase in size compared to the norm for a specific age, echogenicity is also increased.
Ultrasound of the pancreas allows to distinguish between acute and chronic pancreatitis, which is important for the appointment of adequate treatment.
From the foregoing it should be understood that ultrasound of the pancreas, conducted for adults and children, it is not easy procedure. It is an affordable method of research, which allows you to set the disease in its early stages, when symptoms it even slight or absent altogether.