ULTRASONOGRAPHIC ABNORMALITIES OF THE PANCREAS IN IDDM AND NIDDM PATIENTS

OBJECTIVE - To evaluate the relationship between the type and duration of diabetes and pancreas size by ultrasonography. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - Pancreas images of 40 IDDM and 36 NIDDM patients with 0.3-3 4 yr of disease were compared with those of 60 normal healthy control subjects. RESULTS - The diameters +/- SD of the head, body, and tail o f the pancreas in IDDM patients (1.9 +/- 0.3; 0.9 +/- 0.2; and 1.4 +/- 0.2 cm, respectively) were smaller than in NIDDM patients (2.7 +/- 0. 4; 1.2 +/- 0.3; and 1,8 +/- 0.4 cm, respectively) and control group su bjects (2.4 +/- 0.4; 1.1 +/- 0.3; and 1.8 +/- 0.4 cm, respectively). T he pancreatic shrinkage in IDDM patients was clearly evident after 10 yr of the disease. NIDDM patients and control subjects had similar pan creatic dimensions, except for a greater body thickness in NIDDM patie nts with > 10 yr of disease (1.2 +/- 0.4 vs. 1.1 +/- 0.3 cm). These re sults were not related to differences in age, sex, and body size. Panc reas image was hypoechogenic in 72.5% of IDDM patients and hyperechoge nic in 83.3% of NIDDM patients. CONCLUSIONS - Smaller pancreases in ID DM patients in comparison with NIDDM patients and control subjects wer e clearly demonstrated only after 10 yr of disease. Patients with NIDD M were not affected by pancreatic dimensions, except for a greater bod y thickness after 10 yr of disease. Pancreatic echogenicity increased with age.