Ultrasonographic alterations of pancreas in diabetic patients

ABSTRACT

Pancreas as the insulin-producing gland is subjected to destruction and change in the diabetes-producing process. Realtime sonography can assess the gland in 95% of cases and its accuracy in diagnosis of pancreatic disease matches that of CT-scan. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pancreatic diameter and echogenicity by sonography and to examine the correlation of these two factors with duration of disease in diabetes types I and II in comparison with controls. In two groups of 60 diabetic patients and healthy controls, diameter and echogenicity of pancreas was determined. Diameter of pancreas was significantly different in diabetic patients and correlated with duration of disease. In type I diabetes, decrease in the size of pancreas was more prevalent than in type II diabetes and these changes become more prominent over time