Insulinoma (patient information): Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 20:21, 18 September 2009
For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here
| Insulinoma (patient information) | |
.jpg) | |
|---|---|
| Histopathology of pancreatic endocrine tumor (insulinoma). | |
| ICD-10 | C25.4, D13.7 |
| ICD-9 | 157.4, 211.7 |
| ICD-O: | 8151 |
| DiseasesDB | 6830 |
| eMedicine | med/2677 |
| MeSH | D007340 |
Editor-in-Chief: Jinhui Wu, MD
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What is insulinoma?
An insulinoma is a benign tumor in the pancreas which is an organ in the abdomen that can make insulin to regulate blood sugar level. A patient of insulinoma can produce too much insulin. Patients may show a series of symptoms of hypoglycemia, such as anxiety, behavior changes, confusion, dizziness, headache and hunger. Treatments invlove surgery and medication.
How do I know if I have insulinoma and what are the symptoms of insulinoma?
Usual symptoms of insulinoma invlove a series of signs of hypoglycemia and other things:
- Rapid heart rate
Other health problems may also cause these symptoms. Only a doctor can tell for sure. A person with any of these symptoms should tell the doctor so that the problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
Who is at risk for insulinoma?
The cause of insulinoma is not clear.
How to know you have insulinoma?
- Blood tests: The patient needs to test the blood level of glucose, insulin and C-peptide, when suspected to diagnose insulinoma.
- Insulin suppression tests: This test is done to see whether insulin levels fail to suppress, which is a strong indicator of the presence of an insulin-secreting tumour.
- Computed tomography (CT) scan: CT scans are often used to diagnose insulinoma. It can confirm the location of the tumor and show the organs near the pancreas.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): An MRI uses magnetic fields but it is a different type of image than what is produced by computed tomography (CT) and produces detailed images of the body. Like computed tomography (CT), a contrast agent may be injected into a patient’s vein to create a better picture.
When to seek urgent medical care?
Call your health care provider if symptoms of insulinoma develop. If you experience either of the following symptoms, seeking urgent medical care as soon as possible:
Treatment options
For patients with insulinoma, surgery is the definitive management. Before treatment starts, ask your health care team about possible side effects and how treatment may change your normal activities.
- Surgery: The surgical measure may involve surgical removal of the insulinoma and removing part of the pancreas such as Whipple procedure and distal pancreatectomy.
- Medication: For patients who may not accept surgery, medications such as diazoxide and somatostatin can be used to block the release of insulin.
Diseases with similar symptoms
- Hypoglycemia by other causes
Where to find medical care for insulinoma?
Directions to Hospitals Treating insulinoma
Prevention of insulinoma
For the cause is not clear, there is no known method for prevention.
What to expect (Outook/Prognosis)?
As a kind of benign tumor, the prognosis of insulinoma is good. Surgery can cure most patients. But a severe hypoglycemic reaction may be life-threatening for some patients.