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Pancreas: Transabdominal Ultrasound-Based Elastography

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Elastography of the Liver and Beyond

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Abstract

The transabdominal assessment of pancreatic stiffness (PS) can be obtained by elastographic software installed in the ultrasound machine, to precisely target the pancreas under the US B-mode guidance. The presence of ascites, large cysts, or obesity may interfere with the stiffness measurement; however, this technique is mostly quick and easy to perform. PS has been investigated by strain elastography or ultrasound shear wave elastography in cohorts of patients with both benign and malignant diseases. Its application has an excellent degree of feasibility, and its role in the settings of chronic pancreatitis and alcohol-related diseases seems promising to stratify patients by severity and to early detect and monitor pancreatic damage. PS can also be useful in acute pancreatitis, to predict surgical complications, and with the pediatric population in cystic fibrosis or type 1 diabetes. Moreover, PS may help in the differential diagnosis of pancreatic lesions, both benign and malignant masses and among different types of pancreatic cancer. However, larger and further studies are needed to confirm these interesting findings.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy, ASST Cremona, Cremona, Italy

    Clara Benedetta Conti

  2. Internal Medicine Unit, ASST Lecco, Lecco, Italy

    Roberta Pozzi

Authors
  1. Clara Benedetta Conti
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  2. Roberta Pozzi
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy

    Mirella Fraquelli

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Conti, C.B., Pozzi, R. (2021). Pancreas: Transabdominal Ultrasound-Based Elastography. In: Fraquelli, M. (eds) Elastography of the Liver and Beyond. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74132-7_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74132-7_13

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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