title: Sonographic changes of the pancreas in chronic renal failure.
abstract: Several abnormalities regarding pancreatic morphology and function have been reported in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) with an incidence as high as 72%. In a prospective study we investigated 96 outpatients from our chronic ambulatory hemodialysis program by abdominal ultrasound. Of the patients with CRF, 20.6% were found to have morphologic alterations of the pancreas compared to 4.7% of controls. Although pathologic sonograms of the pancreas correlated with biliary disease, hyperparathyroidism and years of hemodialysis, the most obvious etiologic factor appeared to be the duration of CRF. Possible pathogenetic mechanisms are discussed and screening abdominal ultrasound examinations in patients with long-standing CRF are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Medizinische Fakultät der Rheinisch-Westfälischen Technischen Hochschule, Aachen, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lerch
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Riehl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nolte
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Sieberth
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matern
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects; D014463:Ultrasonography