How the pancreas is examined – the pancreas is best examined on an empty stomach, but even then it is often impossible to view the whole gland with imaging methods (mainly ultrasound).
Abdominal ultrasound, CT and MRI are painless examination methods with relatively high sensitivity and specificity.
The pancreasinstrumental examination involves swallowing a thin fibre-optic endoscope, which allows the patency of the bile– and pancreasducts to be checked, and therapeutic procedures to be carried out if necessary.
The examination is quite demanding and unpleasant, but because therapeutic procedures can be carried out during it, it can sometimes be an alternative to even higher-risk surgery.
Some types of functional test require swallowing a thin tube; others do not.
