In the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases, a special place is occupied by ultrasound, with the help of which it is possible to detect signs of diffuse changes, to determine the boundaries and form of the pancreas, and to detect benign and malignant neoplasms in its tissues.
For ultrasonic research, ultrashort sound waves are used that are not captured by humans and are safe for their health, but can penetrate the tissues of the body and reflect differently, depending on their density and structure. In this case, reflected oscillations of ultrashort waves are captured by a special device, processed and visualized as images of internal organs with different color saturation proportional to the density of tissues and the number of signs of their diffuse changes, as well as the ability to absorb or reflect an ultrasound called echogenicity.
Diagnosis of diseases using ultrasound is based on increasing or decreasing echogenicity of internal organs, which is a sign of the appearance of various pathologies. A healthy pancreas has a normal echogenicity. With an increase in parenchyma density, replacement of its connective tissue, echogenicity increases. In this case, doctors are talking about diffuse changes in the pancreas.
In the event that echolineses indicate a decrease in the density of the parenchyma, there is reason to believe that there is fluid accumulation in the tissues, which is a sign of various inflammatory processes, for example, acute or chronic pancreatitis.
This means that diffuse changes are directly related to echoes and complement each other when performing diagnostic tests. Depending on their nature and the severity of the signs of diffusion, it is possible to diagnose not only chronic and acute pancreatitis, but also diabetes mellitus, as well as various abscesses, fibrosis and tumors.
In addition, they may be signs of a disease or age-related changes. If the patient feels well and does not have any problems with digestion, the treatment is not prescribed.
Their character is also determined by the echoes of symptoms: the more pronounced they are, the more diffuse changes in parenchyma tissues are revealed.