A patient with insulinoma diagnosed by clinical features and localized preoperatively using a combination of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS), dual phase contrast enhanced spiral computed tomography (DPSCT) and arterial stimulation and venous sampling (ASVS) was reported. A 37-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of hypoglycemic attacks, palpitations, and muscular weakness. Fajans' ratio reported to be an index for insulinoma was positive. Transabdominal computed tomography and ultrasonography failed to detect any abnormalities. CEUS showed a small low echoic lesion in the pancreatic body with blood flow and the early arterial phase of DPSCT revealed a small strengthening focus, which mimicked a pancreatic tumor in the pancreatic body. ASVS showed that the insulin levels in the hepatic vein were extremely increased by calcium injection to the gastroduodenal artery. An open intra-abdominal operation was performed and an insulinoma was confirmed in the pancreatic body. Enucleation of tumor was undertaken and histopathological examination showed an adenoma, insulin expression was positive in immunofluorescence staining. Symptomatic hypoglycemia never happened even without glucose infusion since the operation. His blood glucose level improved to within the normal range.
Adult ; Humans ; Insulinoma ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Male ; Radiography ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUNDPancreatic endocrine tumors (PETs) are rare and their surgical treatment is often debated. The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze the diagnosis and surgical strategy of functioning and non-functioning PETs.

METHODSFrom May 1980 to March 2006, 36 patients with pancreatic endocrine tumors at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University were retrospectively studied.

RESULTSAmong the 36 patients, 29 (81%) had functioning tumors, and 7 (19%) had nonfunctioning tumors. Ninety-two percent of insulinomas were benign, whereas 4 (57%) of nonfunctioning PETs were malignant. The size of functioning tumors was (2.3 +/- 0.3) cm, that of nonfunctioning tumors was less than (5.1 +/- 0.5) cm. The combination CT and transabdominal ultrasonography resulted in a diagnostic sensitivity of 84%. Thirty-three primary lesions were precisely located in 32 patients (89%). Atypical tumor resection was performed for 73% of functioning tumors, while typical pancreatectomy was performed for 6 (85%) of nonfunctioning tumors. Moreover, 5 liver resections and 1 lymph node dissection were performed. During the follow-up, fifteen complications occurred in 12 (36%) patients after operation. The 5-year survival rate for patients with benign tumors was 92% compared to 50% for those with malignant tumors. Surgical cure was achieved in 95% of patients with benign insulinomas.

CONCLUSIONSSurgical strategy for PETs depends on the size and location of the tumor and the risk of malignancy. The optimal surgical procedure is key to prevent postoperative complication. Radical resection including initial and metastatic lesion may benefit patients with malignant PETs.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Insulinoma ; diagnosis ; mortality ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; mortality ; surgery ; Positron-Emission Tomography

OBJECTIVETo investigate the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic islet cell tumors.

METHODSFifty-one patients with islet cell tumors treated in our department from January 1991 to April 2011 were included in this study. The data of clinical features, diagnosis and treatment were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSAmong the 51 cases, 38 cases showed typical Whipple's triad, and the other 13 cases were non-functional islet cell tumors. In these 13 cases, 5 patients had no specific clinical symptoms, and 8 patients had abdominal distending pain. The positive rates of imaging were: B-ultrasound 43.1%, multi-slice spiral CT 69.8%; MRI 62.5%, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) 64.7% (11/17), and intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) 96.3%, the differences among them were statistically significant (P<0.05). All patients underwent surgical treatment. Postoperative pancreatic leakage happened in 6 cases. Finally all the patients recovered after effective external drainage, anti-infection treatment and nutritional support.

CONCLUSIONSIntraoperative ultrasonography (IOUS) has a higher accuracy in the diagnosis of pancreatic islet cell tumors, compared with preoperative B-ultrasonography, CT, MRI, and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). The most effective treatment of this disease is surgery.

Adenoma, Islet Cell ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Adult ; Anastomotic Leak ; etiology ; Endosonography ; Female ; Humans ; Insulinoma ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Pancreatectomy ; adverse effects ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies

Malignant insulinoma in the beta cells of the pancreatic islet is rare and usually presented as hypoglycemia. We report a case of large malignant insulinoma in a 53-year-old Korean woman. A presumptive clinical diagnosis was made before surgery, based on the high plasma insulin-to-glucose ratio and a large solitary heterogeneous pancreatic mass by abdominal computed tomography and endosonography. The tumor measured 5.8X4.7X4.5 cm in dimension and showed capsular invasions and metastases in two of four peripancreatic lymph nodes. The tumor cells were strongly immunoreactive to insulin and had a high Ki-67 labeling index (13%) and atypical membranous electron-dense granules, ranging from 120 to 400 nm in diameter, in the cytoplasm on electron microscopy. The patient was treated by distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy and rapidly recovered without neurohypoglycemic symptoms. This case showed not only lymph node metastases, the most reliable parameter for malignancy in pancreatic endocrine tumors, but also other valid diagnostic clues, such as high Ki-67 labeling index, heterogeneous enodosonographic findings, capsular invasions with large tumor and pure atypical secretory granules.
Biopsy, Needle ; Endosonography ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Insulinoma/*diagnosis/*surgery ; Islets of Langerhans/pathology/ultrastructure ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pancreatectomy/*methods ; Pancreatic Function Tests ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/*diagnosis/*surgery ; Risk Assessment ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo summarize our experience in the diagnosis and treatment of malignant pancreatic endocrine tumour.

METHODSWe retrospectively reviewed 36 cases of malignant pancreatic endocrine tumours in our hospital from July 1987 to April 2002, and summarized its clinical features.

RESULTSLiver metastasis was the main malignant manifestation of malignant pancreatic endocrine tumours (incidence rate 72.2%). Removals of primary lesion and isolated hepatic metastatic lesion were means of curative therapy. Interventional chemotherapy was an important adjuvant treatment.

CONCLUSIONComprehensive therapy plays an important role in improving the prognosis of malignant pancreatic endocrine tumour.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Islet Cell ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrectomy ; Gastrinoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Glucagonoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Insulinoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Liver Neoplasms ; secondary ; therapy ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Pancreas ; surgery ; Pancreatectomy ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies