Abstract

PIMENTA, Walkyria de Paula et al. Is pancreas ultrasound effective in diagnosing type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus?. Radiol Bras [online]. 2002, vol.35, n.4, pp. 209-212. ISSN 0100-3984.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-39842002000400006.

The aim of this study was to determine whether ultrasonography of the pancreas can be used as an auxiliary tool in the diagnosis of adult patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The size and echogenicity of the pancreas were evaluated by ultrasound in 81 diabetic patients: 20 type 1 and 61 type 2 (53 obese and 8 non-obese). Obese type 2 diabetic patients showed different results from patients in the other groups, with significantly larger pancreas area and anteroposterior body diameter. The pancreas was more frequently hyperechogenic in obese type 2 diabetic patients than in type 1 diabetic patients. We concluded that ultrasonography of the pancreas may be used as an auxiliary tool for the diagnosis of type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients, although this method showed to be less efficient in non-obese patients.

Keywords : Pancreas ultrasound; Pancreas in diabetes; Pancreas size; Pancreas ecogenicity.