Echostructure of the pancreas. Comparison with exocrine secretory activity of the pancreas in patients with diabetes mellitus

: Qualitative disorders of an echopancreatogram are noted in half of patients with diabetes mellitus (both insulin dependent and noninsulin dependent). The most significant echopancreatographic quantitative and qualitative disorders were observed in diabetic patients with a maximal decrease in pancreatic enzyme excreting activity (on the basis of lipase and trypsin debit in a pancreozymin test, daily steatorrhea and chymotrypsin amount in daily feces). It has been assumed that a degree of ultrasound changes in the pancreas in diabetes depends on a degree of fibrosis of pancreatic exocrine tissue. Ultrasound investigations with quantitative and qualitative assessment of echopancreatograms is a valuable adjuvant diagnostic method in diabetes mellitus.