Introduction

Uses

• Investigation of:
  • Collapse Collapse.
  • Hypoglycemia Hypoglycemia.
  • Vomiting Vomiting.
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Abdominal mass.

Advantages

• Low cost.
• Non-invasive.
• Straightforward.
• Short time requirement.
• Rarely requires sedation.
• No known biological risk.
• Allows ultrasound-guided:
  • Fine needle aspirate Fine needle aspirate: ultrasound-guided
  • Biopsy Biopsy: ultrasound-guided.

Disadvantages

• May require patient's coat to be clipped.
• Normal sonographic appearance does not exclude disease.
• Gives no information on endocrine function.
• Abnormal sonographic appearance does not always indicate significant disease.
• Similar sonographic appearance with different diseases.

Potential problems

• Poor transducer-skin contact:
  • Inadequate clipping.
  • Insufficient coupling medium.
• Inadequate patient restraint.
• Operator inexperience.
• Excess intestinal gas.
• Inadequate equipment.

Alternatives

• Exploratory surgery for insulinomas.
• Scintigraphy for localization of insulinomas.

Equipment

Patient preparation

Technique

Normal anatomy

Abnormalities

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Morita Y, Takiguchi M, Yasuda J et al (1998) Endoscopic ultrasonography of the pancreas in the dog. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 39 (6), 552-556 PubMed.
• Lamb C R, Simpson K W, Boswood A et al (1995) Ultrasonography of pancreatic neoplasia in the dog: a retrospective review of 16 cases. Vet Rec 137 (3), 65-68 PubMed.
• Lamb C R (1989) Dilation of the pancreatic duct - an ultrasonographic finding in acute pancreatitis. JSAP 30 (7), 410-413 Wiley Online Library.