Ultrasound of the pancreas with pancreatitis

If you suspect a disease such as pancreatitis, it is important to take the necessary measures in time. To begin with, you should conduct an accurate diagnosis of the pancreas to find out for sure the cause of acute pain just above the abdomen.

Why is this important? The thing is that pain in pancreatitis is sometimes similar to pain in gastritis or any other disease of the stomach, and to find out exactly what it hurts, you need to conduct several diagnostics.

The most reliable response in this case will give this type of pancreas research, like ultrasound.

main functions of the pancreas

To begin with we shall understand that from itself represents all of the pancreas body and why it occupies such an important place in the life of any person.

It is known that the pancreas is located on the back of the stomach and has a lobed structure.

Function This body carries out only two, is:

1. Develop special pancreatic juice, which helps in the digestion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Most of the cells of the pancreas perform exactly this work, and the produced juice consists of alkalis and digestive enzymes.
2. Synthesis of hormones, to regulate the metabolism of carbohydrates in the human body. The smaller part of pancreatic cells performs this endocrine( hormone-forming) function, thereby equalizing the amount of insulin and glucagon.

For many reasons( which we will discuss later), the pancreas can fail, and as a result, all of its functions are directed to the cleavage of itself.

Indications for the ultrasonic investigation

Any signs pancreatic pathologies should be diagnosed using various methods. The most easily accessible and painless way is ultrasound( ultrasound).

to the indications for ultrasound include:

• Periodical acute attacks of pain in the left upper abdomen or in the area of ​​hypochondria;
• Sensible cysts and tumors;
• Painful sensations when probing a painful area;
• Sharp weight loss for no apparent reason;
• Disturbances in the stool;
• Suspicion of jaundice in a patient.

addition to these ultrasound signs used in other cases, often for accurate test and refine the diagnosis, such as:

1. After the X-ray of the duodenum if the result shows any changes contours or shape of bodies similar to the irritation of the pancreasWith pancreatitis;
2. After a gastroscopic examination, the result of which shows an anomaly in the posterior region of the stomach;
3. After various laboratory tests( blood test, urinalysis).

How to prepare for ultrasound

Since ultrasound with pancreatitis and a hint of its development should examine not only the pancreas defects, but also other organs located in the abdomen( this is the intestine, stomach, liver, gall bladder and spleen), Then it is important to prepare them accordingly. Usually, before sending a patient with suspicion of pancreatitis to the examination, he is instructed, which mentions what can be consumed and what can not be done, in order to facilitate the work of the doctor.

To prepare the body for this procedure include:

1. An exception to the use of such foods that are capable of causing gas formation. These are dairy products, and carbonated drinks, and vegetables with fruits. It is important to do this 48 hours before ultrasound.
   In case the patient has a propensity to gassing, it is necessary to take activated charcoal up to 4 tablets the night before ultrasound.
2. Do not perform gastroscopy before the pancreas procedure.
3. Do not eat for 10 hours before ultrasound.
4. It is important to exclude the taking of any medications before the procedure.
5. Smoking and drinking alcohol are also not recommended.

People with a stool problem before ultrasound can also make a cleansing enema.

Usually, during the ultrasound, the doctor makes observations on the pancreatic echostructure, and also compares its density with the density of the liver( in the normal state, their differences are insignificant).

Pancreatic ultrasound in pancreatitis

No matter how easily diagnosed with ultrasound in pancreatitis or any hint of its development, it is usually not enough to study pancreatitis alone. For example, in cases when the disease has just begun its development or in cases of chronic stage of pancreatitis, the result of ultrasound is sometimes revealed without any hints on the development of the disease.

This happens because ultrasound can only determine the size of the organ itself and its contour. Gases, which are in the intestine, can spoil the result of diagnosis to such an extent that even a professional physician will find it difficult to interpret the meaning of the image.

This is why, when making diagnosis of pancreatitis, it is important not to make hasty conclusions, based on the results of only one type of pancreas research.

Sometimes, in particularly severe cases, the patient is prescribed CT and ERCP.Most patients receive an accurate diagnosis, only by combining several types of diagnosis. Only after such methods of research can we determine with certainty what ailment the patient is worried about.

Useful video about ultrasound of the abdominal cavity in gastroenterology