[Diffuse primary fat replacement of the pancreas: an unusual cause of steatorrhea].
Diffuse and primitive fat replacement of the exocrine pancreas is a rare cause of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in adults. We report two adult patients with chronic diarrhoea and steatorrhea whose morphologic abnormalities revealed diffuse fat replacement of the pancreas. Tomodensitometry detected diffuse characteristic abnormalities with fat intermixed with normal pancreatic lobules or a "vanishing pancreas". In one patient, magnetic resonance imaging and echo-endoscopy suggested abnormalities. Administration of pancreatic extracts improved symptoms.
Aubert
Alain
A
Service de Gastroentérologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, 75010 Paris. alainjean.aubert@wanadoo.fr
Gornet
Jean-Marc
JM
Hammel
Pascal
P
Lévy
Philippe
P
O'Toole
Dermot
D
Ruszniewski
Philippe
P
Modigliani
Robert
R
Lémann
Marc
M
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019160:Endosonography; D010188:Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008068:Lipomatosis / Q000150:complications; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D045602:Steatorrhea / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed