Abstract

MARQUES, Inês Nazaré et al. Echoendoscopy in the Diagnosis of Insulinoma. J Port Gastrenterol. [online]. 2011, vol.18, n.4, pp.191-195. ISSN 0872-8178.

Insulinoma represents the most frequently found endocrine tumor of the pancreas and usually is benign. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a highly reliable procedure to localize insulinomas preoperatively. We report a case of a 78 year old woman who presented with paroxysmal hypoglycemia. An insulinoma was suspected on the basis of clinical symptoms of hypoglycaemia and abnormal laboratory test results, including the positive 72h fast. EUS detected a hypoechoic mass in the body of the pancreas. A cytological specimen was obtained by EUS guided fine needle aspiration which confirmed a neuroendocrine nature of the tumor. Accurate clinical diagnosis, preoperative localization with EUS and diligent surgical exploration by experienced surgeons are the key to a successful outcome in patients with insulinoma.

Keywords : Insulinoma; hypoglicemia; echoendoscopy; neuroendocrine tumors.

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