Islet cell tumours.
Islet cells tumours are a range of rare neoplasms of neuroendocrine origin arising in or close to the pancreas. The normal islet cells of Langerhans in the pancreas contain B-cells (which secrete insulin), A-cells (which secrete glucagon), D-cells (which secrete somatostatin), Dl-cells (which secrete pancreatic polypeptide, PP) and D2-cells (which secrete vasoactive intestinal peptide). The majority (85%) of islet cell tumours secrete one or more of these hormones, or other substances not normally found in the adult pancreas (although often present in the fetal pancreas), notably gastrin.
Reznek
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Academic Department of Diagnostic Radiology St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK. r.h.reznek@qmul.ac.uk