Acquired Fatty Replacement of the Body and Tail of the Pancreas Diagnosed by Endoscopic Ultrasonography —A Case Report—

Abstract

A 62-year old female was admitted for a detailed study of a pancreatic abnormality detected by abdominal ultrasonography. A CT and MRI revealed a fat deposition in the body and tail of the pancreas. An ERCP demonstrated the distal main pancreatic duct as 2 fine branches in the head, and accessory pancreatic ducts were visualized. An endoscopic ultrasonography revealed a swelling of the body. In the tail, a membrane-like hyDerechoic stmtcture was noted, and probably represented the pancreatic capsule. A angiography demonstrated branches of the dorsal and transverse pancreatic artery, and the diagnosis of acquired fatty replacement of the body and tail of the pancreas was confimned. Endoscopic ultrasonography appears to be a useful method to confimn fatty replacement of the body and tail of the pancreas.Key words : acquired f a t t y replacement of the pancreas, endoscopic ultrasonography, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Pancreas head carcinoma with total fat replacement of the dorsal exocrine pancreas

“…On the other hand, EUS was also reported to be useful to confirm CT suspicions of fatty replacement of the pancreas. 13 The final diagnosis should be made by the microscopic demonstration of Langerhans' islets in the replaced fat tissue.…”