My father may own pancreatitis or a pancreatic tumor. Why is it so rock-hard to diagnosis?

My father has have a endoscopy and a MRI. And they still don't know what the cause is? Why do the physicians enjoy such a difficult time differentiating the two?

Answers:
If a patient have symptoms that suggest pancreatic cancer, the doctor asks about the patient's medical history. The doctor may achieve a number of procedures, including one or more of the following:
Physical exam -- The doctor examines the skin and eyes for signs of jaundice. The doctor next feels the belly to check for changes within the area implicit the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder. The doctor also checks for ascites, an abnormal buildup of fluid contained by the abdomen.

· Lab test -- The doctor may take blood, urine, and stool sample to check for bilirubin and other substances. Bilirubin is a substance that passes from the liver to the gallbladder to the intestine. If the adjectives bile duct is blocked by a tumor, the bilirubin cannot pass through as a rule. Blockage may cause the height of bilirubin in the blood, stool, or urine to become enormously high. High bilirubin level can result from cancer or from noncancerous conditions.

· CT scan (Computed tomography) -- An x-ray machine related to a computer takes a series of detailed pictures. The x-ray contraption is shaped like a donut near a large hole. The long-suffering lies on a bed that passes through the hole. As the bed moves slowly through the hole, the apparatus takes copious x-rays. The computer puts the x-rays together to create pictures of the pancreas and other organs and blood vessels within the abdomen.

· Ultrasonography -- The ultrasound device uses nouns waves that cannot be hear by humans. The sound breakers produce a pattern of echo as they bounce off internal organs. The echo create a picture of the pancreas and other organs inside the abdomen. The echo from tumors are different from echoes made by natural tissues.

The ultrasound procedure may use an external or internal device, or both types:

o Transabdominal ultrasound: To make imagery of the pancreas, the doctor places the ultrasound device on the abdomen and slowly moves it around.

o EUS (Endoscopic ultrasound): The doctor pass a thin, lighted tube (endoscope) through the patient's mouth and stomach, down into the first constituent of the small intestine. At the tip of the endoscope is an ultrasound device. The doctor slowly withdraws the endoscope from the intestine toward the stomach to engineer images of the pancreas and surrounding organs and tissues.

· ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) -- The doctor pass an endoscope through the patient's mouth and stomach, down into the first part of the small intestine. The doctor slips a smaller tube (catheter) through the endoscope into the bile ducts and pancreatic ducts. After injecting dye through the catheter into the ducts, the doctor take x-ray pictures. The x-rays can show whether the ducts are narrowed or blocked by a tumor or other condition.

· PTC (percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography) -- A dye is injected through a thin nozzle inserted through the skin into the liver. Unless there is a blockage, the dye should move freely through the bile ducts. The dye make the bile ducts show up on x-ray pictures. From the pictures, the doctor can tell whether within is a blockage from a tumor or other condition.

· Biopsy -- In some cases, the doctor may remove tissue. A pathologist then uses a microscope to look for cancer cell in the tissue. The doctor may acquire tissue in several ways. One bearing is by inserting a needle into the pancreas to remove cell. This is called fine-needle aspiration. The doctor uses x-ray or ultrasound to guide the hypodermic. Sometimes the doctor obtains a indication of tissue during EUS or ERCP. Another way is to unfurl the abdomen during an operation. Most of the time, biopsies are done lacking the need for surgery. Biopsies may not be required up to that time proceeding with surgery if nearby is a high chance that a pancreatic cancer is present.

Many people diagnosed beside pancreatic cancer want to take an alive part contained by making decisions just about their medical care. They want to swot all they can going on for their disease and their treatment choices. However, the shock and stress that people may consistency after a diagnosis of cancer can make it strong for them to think of everything they want to ask the doctor. Often it help to make a schedule of questions since an appointment. To help remember what the doctor say, patients may take follow-up or ask whether they may use a tape recorder. Some patients also want to enjoy a family bough or friend with them when they yak to the doctor-to take cog in the discussion, to embezzle notes, or freshly to listen.

Before starting treatment, a patient may want a second belief about the diagnosis and the treatment plan. Some insurance companies require a second view; others may cover a second opinion if the tolerant requests it. Gathering medical records and arranging to see another doctor may bring a little time. In most cases, a brief hitch to get another feelings will not make treatment less positive. Always feel free to hope a second opinion.
The UC Pancreatic Disease Center
Specialists In Pancreatitis & Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
Disease Of The Pancreas > Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

What is Pancreatic Cancer?
What are the types of Pancreatic Cancer?
What are the symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer?
What procedures are used to diagnosis Pancreatic Cancer?
What cause Pancreatic Cancer?
What are the treatment options for Pancreatic Cancer?
What is the prognosis for Pancreatic Cancer?

About Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is immediately the 4th leading rationale of cancer death surrounded by the United States. It will cause more than 30,000 death this year in the United States alone. Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect, complicated to diagnose, early to metastasize (spread) and resistant to treatment.

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Types Of Pancreatic Cancer

The most adjectives type of pancreatic cancer is also known as pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma or simply pancreatic carcinoma. Other types of pancreatic cancer can go off as well including those arising from endocrine cell or exocrine cells. Endocrine cancer are also known as islet cell or neuroendocrine cancer. These tumors can produce hormones that produce a variety of symptoms such as change in blood sugar or diarrhea. Exocrine pancreatic cancer is a disease contained by which cancerous cells start within the tissues of the pancreas that produce digestive juice. The following information focuses mainly on pancreatic carcinoma, the most adjectives cancer of the pancreas.

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Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is sometimes called a "silent disease" because precipitate pancreatic cancer often does not produce symptoms. But, as the cancer grows, symptoms may include:

· Weight loss

· Pain in the upper belly or upper back

· Yellow skin and eyes, dimness urine, and light stool

· Weakness

· Loss of appetite

· Nausea and vomiting

These symptoms are not sure signs of pancreatic cancer. An infection or other problem could also lead to these symptoms. Only a doctor can diagnose the cause of a person's symptoms. Anyone next to these symptoms should see a doctor so that the doctor can treat any problem as early as possible.

Sorry almost your father, but hope that would help.
http://www.medicinenet.com/pancreatic_ca.

A Tumor Obstruction Should Have Been Easily Visible On the MRI. I don't Know Why There is a Problem. I Think (but don't Know fot Sure) that a Painful Pancreatitis Will Result from an Abbrupt Occlusion of the Common Bile Duct, Whereas the Slow Occlusion From a Tumor Will Not Result In Pain, the First Sign might Be Painless Jaundice (Courvosier's [Sp?] Sign?), So One Will Know From the History.

Very smooth to differentiate. Pancreatitis is inflammation and gives severe distress abdomen. Tumor obstruct bile duct and causes obstructive jaundice. Serum amylase is lofty in pancreatitis not contained by tumor.

I hope it isn't cancer. I know somebody who had Hodgkin's disease, and when it metastasized, they get pancreatitis from the cancer, and died. <> Also, my girl friends son of 16 years developed pancreatic cancer and died soon after wards. Tell the Dr. you want to see his liver functions respectively day after conducting tests. I wish you and your father appropriate luck.

ByeDr.com

My father may own pancreatitis or a pancreatic tumor. Why is it so rock-hard to diagnosis?

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