Functioning Pancreatic Islet-Cell Adenoma Diagnosed Preoperatively by Means of Splanchnic Arteriography

Abstract

THE DIAGNOSIS OF organic hypoglycemia due to an intraabdominal tumor usually can be made on the basis of clinical criteria. A high value of fasting plasma insulin may be helpful in differentiating a functioning islet-cell tumor of the pancreas from an intraabdominal fibrosarcoma, however, the value is normal in some patients with functioning β-cell tumor of the pancreas.¹ Even when the presence of hyperinsulinism has been determined, there remains the often difficult surgical problem of locating the functioning islet-cell tumor, particularly if the tumor is in the head of the pancreas. A method that demonstrates the presence and location of a functioning islet-cell tumor of the pancreas preoperatively would make the task of the surgeon much easier. The purpose of this paper is to report a case of proved organic hypoglycemia in which a functioning islet-cell adenoma of the pancreas was preoperatively diagnosed and located by means of selective