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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staff
Pancreatic cysts are diagnosed more often now than in the past, but not because more people have them. Instead, improved imaging technology has made pancreatic cysts easier to find. In fact, many pancreatic cysts are found during abdominal scans for other problems.
Most pancreatic cysts can be detected by ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Your doctor may also order an endoscopic ultrasound to visualize the cyst and to obtain fluid from the cyst for analysis. In this study, a thin flexible tube (endoscope) is passed through your mouth and into your stomach and upper small intestine. The endoscope is equipped with a small ultrasound probe to image the cyst and with a needle to obtain fluid from the cyst.
Although the majority of pancreatic cysts are benign pseudocysts, doctors may suspect another type of cyst if it occurs with no previous history of pancreatitis or abdominal injury or if it has internal walls.
In some cases, the location of the cyst in your pancreas — along with your age and sex — can help doctors pinpoint what type of cyst you have.
- Mucinous cystadenoma. These cysts are usually located in the body or tail of the pancreas and occur most often in middle-aged women. They are precancerous, and some may already be cancerous when discovered. Larger cysts are more likely to be cancerous.
- Mucinous duct ectasia. More common in men, these cysts consist of dilated ductal segments, usually within the head of the pancreas. Also known as intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, these growths are often cancerous.
- Serous cystadenoma. These growths can become large enough to displace nearby organs, causing such symptoms as abdominal pain and a feeling of fullness. They occur most frequently in middle-aged women and become cancerous only rarely.
- Papillary cystic tumor. The least common of the nonpseudocysts, papillary cystic tumors — also known as papillary cystic neoplasm or solid and pseudopapillary neoplasm — occur most often in young women and are usually located in the body or tail of the pancreas. They are usually cancerous.
Islet cell tumors, also known as neuroendocrine tumors, are less common. Normally, the pancreas's islet cells produce insulin and other hormones. Islet cell tumors can also produce these hormones.
