How to check the pancreas: what tests and diagnostics of the pancreas need to be examined: examination and tests

Pathological processes of the digestive organs cause people a large number of difficulties, however, despite this, the majority postpone therapy, trying to eliminate the disease on their own.

Such an approach will not give the expected effects, moreover, it can cause adverse consequences and other pathologies.

Many people wonder how to check the pancreas and what tests need to be done. With all sorts of disorders inside the body, first of all, you need to consult with a specialist.

Directly the doctor prescribes the required diagnosis of diseases of the pancreas, in order to determine the disease and plan therapy.

General signs of pathology

Deterioration of the tone of the gland will not appear unexpectedly in all cases. Most people do not focus on the discomfort in the upper abdominal cavity, which intensifies after a meal.

The following manifestations indicate the formation of a pathological process:

• Nausea. It grows after taking alcoholic beverages, fatty and fried. In difficult situations, a gag reflex is noted, which does not bring relief.
• Painful sensations. The discomfort of an aching or acute nature is localized in the epigastrium, however, they can be given under the scapula, into the chest or hypochondrium.
• Stool disorders. Constipation or diarrhea, taking into account the variety of the pathological process and the prerequisites for its formation. Visible fragments of food products are noted in the feces.
• Belching and flatulence. Failure in the digestive process leads to the fermentation of food debris and the accumulation of gases. Belching is associated with a feeling of an unpleasant odor in the mouth.
• Temperature. An increase in temperature is considered a strong indicator of inflammation. In such a situation, it is required to act without delay - to call doctors.

With the formation of adverse consequences, the appearance of such symptoms as jaundice, visual disturbances, and impaired coordination is likely.

Moreover, body weight is significantly reduced, appetite worsens. In addition to the patient's claims and external examination, additional examinations are necessary.

Only after carrying out comprehensive measures in the organ in question, therapy is prescribed by a specialist.

Preparation for analyzes

Before doing tests on the pancreas, you need to know how to do it.

Basically, experts instruct patients, since errors in the process of collecting biomaterial can give significant deviations in the finished data.

General requirements are reduced to the following points:

• Diagnosis is carried out on an empty stomach, before noon. 3-5 days before the analysis, it is necessary to exclude the consumption of harmful food products (fried, spicy, fatty, salty, canned products, caffeine-containing and alcoholic beverages). In addition, it is not recommended to eat beans that can provoke intense gas formation.
• Prior to blood sampling, you must quit smoking for at least 2 hours.
• In the presence of such difficulties as constipation, care must be taken to ensure that toxic elements remaining inside the intestine do not affect the indications. For these purposes, you need to use any enterosorbents (for example, activated carbon).
• Each container should be sterilized and hands should be thoroughly washed with soap and water.
• In the process of collecting urine, female persons should carry out the hygiene of the genitourinary organs, then use a tampon in order to maintain the purity of the biomaterial.
• When analyzing urine, you should give it a middle portion.

Such simple prescriptions help to properly pass tests and prevent possible deviations.

But it should be borne in mind that specialists in some cases may be mistaken, therefore, with the least doubt, it is necessary to diagnose again.

Laboratory diagnostics

Often patients ask the question of how to examine the pancreas. In pathological processes that are associated with inflammatory changes in the pancreas, the main focus will be to determine its tone.

An exacerbation is associated with an intense release of enzymes detected, taking into account their variety, in the bloodstream, urine and feces.

In addition, the diagnosis of the liver will become informative, since its functioning is associated with the gland. The most informative analyzes, based on which the specialist makes a diagnosis:

• general analysis of blood and urine;
• biochemical blood test, which includes checking for diastase and amylase;
• coprogram;
• Ultrasound, whereby it is possible to detect fluid in the peritoneum, identify the condition of the tissues and detect possible formations, including an oncological nature;
• MRI and EGDS are modern examination techniques that give a complete picture of the presence of inflammatory changes in the gland.

The examination of the pancreas should be carried out by a qualified specialist and should be comprehensive.

Blood tests

Each patient prone to a disease such as pancreatitis asks the question what tests for the pancreas are required in order to detect it.

Mostly the specialist will prescribe the following:

• General blood analysis. An indicator of difficulties in the work of an organ will be an increased number of leukocytes with an increase in the content of segmented and stab neutrophils, an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate. It is required to take into account that the inflamed organ also provides such data, therefore, the diagnosis of the pancreas must be approached in a comprehensive manner.
• Blood chemistry. The most pronounced manifestation of the presence of disorders in the gland will be an increase in bilirubin, which indicates the presence of an icteric form of pancreatitis. A dangerous signal will be the growth of sialic acids, seromucoid and gamma globulins.
• Alpha-amylase blood test. With an increase in data, a specialist may suspect a chronic or acute form of pancreatitis, stones in the pancreas and blockage of its pathways. When the results were below normal values, which indicates insufficient production of such enzyme, it is possible to admit the presence of pancreatic necrosis, dangerous pathological processes that are associated with destruction pancreas.
• Enzyme tests: trypsin and lipase.
• Blood sugar test. In the presence of dangerous disorders in the work of the gland, the data will exceed 6 mmol / l, however, only such indicators will not give a complete picture of the emerging disease.

Analysis of urine

In case of pancreatic disease, the amylase content in urine increases. This type of examination is not expensive, therefore experts constantly recommend it for appointment.

In addition to general analysis, the following techniques are used:

• Lasus test. The data of such an analysis will show the content of amylase, its activity in urine.
• Proserine test. The essence of such a technique assumes that after a single injection of proserin every 30 minutes, the amylase content in the urine is checked in the patient. When it doubles and has not returned to normal for 2 hours, the specialist diagnoses pancreatitis. In a situation where the body has not responded to the introduction of proserin, sclerosis of the tissues of the gland and pancreatic necrosis may occur.

In various medical institutions, the average data of the norm indicators differ, therefore, if necessary, it is recommended to take tests in the same place.

Analysis for hormones

The pancreas is an organ that produces hormones, therefore, based on their concentration inside the body, one can conclude about the patient's well-being.

• Insulin. A hormonal component that is involved in the breakdown of glucose, synthesizes protein and fatty acids. A decrease in its concentration in the bloodstream indicates functional disorders.
• C-peptide. A hormone that is produced in combination with insulin.
• Glucagon. It performs a function opposite to insulin.
• In some situations, the blood is tested for the presence of gastrin and amylin.

Coprogram

Stool analysis plays an important role in detecting pathological processes in the digestive tract, including pancreatitis.

The main indicator of deviation from normal results will be the presence of unprocessed muscle fibers, fats and fiber in it.

To date, the main analysis by which difficulties in the work of the pancreas are identified is the study of feces for elastase.

With pancreatic dysfunction, its indicators will be less than 200 μg / g, but when the value reaches 100 μg / g or less, the specialist discovers severe damage to the organ in question.

Study of the structure of the organ

The diagnosis of the pancreas is based on the properties of the tissue: it cannot be seen during a standard X-ray examination, however, the pathways of the organ in question can be examined radiographically, introducing a contrast substance.

The pancreas will be available for examination during the ultrasound technique, and Doppler ultrasound will help determine the blood flow in the vessels.

CT will make it possible to visualize its structure in layers, however, magnetic resonance imaging will be optimal in order to establish the smallest structures of the gland.

X-ray methods

Often, to detect probable pathological processes, X-ray examination techniques are prescribed:

• Plain radiography allows you to visualize calcification of organ tissue, significant calculi inside its pathways.
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography involves the introduction of CV into the pancreatic pathway. from the duodenum by means of special instruments that carry out fibrogastroscopy.
• Selective angiography provides for an X-ray examination of the vessels of the pancreas after the introduction of CV into them.
• CT makes it possible during the examination period to detect tumor and inflammatory changes within the organ in question.

Each of the techniques needs preparatory procedures for patients.

Ultrasound procedure

Ultrasound diagnostics is the simplest and most common way to examine the structure of the gland.

This technique is not as accurate as tomography, however, due to its simplicity and harmlessness, it is considered the main one for the initial diagnosis of diseases of the organ in question.

Ultrasound allows you to visualize acute and chronic inflammatory changes, tumor-like formations, abscesses, cysts.

Doppler ultrasound is invaluable for the initial assessment of pancreatic blood flow. This technique requires preliminary procedures.

MRI

For the organ in question, the severity of the manifestations of the disease is often characteristic only in the situation when there were already dangerous disorders.

If the patient was able to establish changes in his own condition in a timely manner, then the chances of a speedy recovery increase.

Today, there are enough ways to examine the damaged organ. In order to check the pancreas by means of MRI, the following parameters of the gland are needed:

• dimensions;
• form;
• density in tissues;
• the presence of various neoplasms;
• characteristic features of the intrapancreatic pathways (the duct that connects the spleen and pancreas is studied separately, since health directly depends on its state);
• vascularization.

Diagnostics of the pancreas involves the use of CV, in order to check all areas and identify the smallest changes in the image.

Situations when you want to use this procedure:

• detection during ultrasound of changes in the epigastron;
• tumors;
• chronic course of pancreatitis;
• hypertension within the ducts;
• cystic formations;
• constant pain in the peritoneum.

If there are complaints about the body in question, you should not postpone a visit to a specialist.

Timely analyzes and diagnostics carried out will make it possible to maintain health and prevent the occurrence of adverse consequences.

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