To diagnose pancreatic cancer, doctors perform a complete physical examination and ask medical history private patients and families. In addition to the signs of general health (temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and so on), the doctor usually orders blood tests, urine, and feces. The doctor may also ask for a "series of barium swallow", or "series of the upper gastrointestinal tract (upper GI)". For this test, the patient drinks a barium solution before x-rays of the upper digestive system taken. Barium pancreas chart shows the x-rays.
Other tests may be ordered, such as:
- An angiogram, a special x-ray of blood vessels.
- CT scans, x-rays which give detailed pictures of cross section of the pancreas. Picture-gamar was created by a computer.
- Transabdominal ultrasound to see the pancreas. In this procedure, a device that sends sound waves of high frequency, which can not be heard, is passed over the abdomen. The sound waves echo behind the pancreas. Echoes form a picture on a screen that looks like a television.
- ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogram), is a special x-ray of the common bile duct (common bile duct). For this test, a long flexible tube (endoscope) is inserted through the patient's esophagus through the stomach into the small intestine. A dye is injected into the common bile duct (common bile duct), and x-rays taken. Doctors DAPT also look through the endoscope and taking tissue samples.
- Endoscopic ultrasound is a relatively new procedure that can be used to diagnose pancreatic cancer. For this procedure, an endoscope is inserted in the same way as ERCP; however, on the tip of the endoscope is an ultrasound probe to scan for pancreatic cancers. Because the ultrasound probe is closer to the pancreas than with transabdominal ultrasound, it is possible to identify small cancers in the pancreas. Cancers can also be biopsied through the endoscope.
A biopsy is the only sure way for doctors to know whether cancer is present. In a biopsy, the doctor removes some tissue from the pancreas. They were examined under a microscope by a pathologist, who checks for cancer cells.
One way is to remove tissue with a long needle inserted through the skin into the pancreas. This is called a biopsy needle. Doctors use x-rays or ultrasound to guide needle placement. Another type of biopsy is a brush biopsy. This is done during ERCP. The doctor inserts a very small brush through the endoscope into the bile duct to wipe cells for examination under a microscope.
Sometimes an operation called a laparotomy may be necessary. During this operation, the doctor can observe the organs in the abdomen and remove tissue. Laparotomy help doctors determine the circumstances or extent of disease. Knowing the state helps the doctor plan treatment. Tissue samples obtained by a kind of biopsy may not provide a clear diagnosis, and biopsy may need to be repeated using a different method.
see also: Pancreatic Cancer Causes
