Definition:
Pancreatic cysts are often diagnosed now than it is so in the past years. However, this is not due to the fact the more people have this disease but mainly due to the advancements in imaging technology that detects the presence of a pancreatic cyst.
Pancreatic cysts are mostly not cancerous, but it is often difficult to determine which cysts is malignant or benign.
Diagnosis:
Most forms of pancreatic cysts are detected using imaging tests such as ultrasound, a computerized tomography (CT) or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Samples of the cyst may be required for laboratory study to determine if it is cancerous or not.
Treatment:
Appropriate treatment may differ may will depend on which type of cyst as well as whether it causes symptoms. In most cases, no treatment is necessary. For benign psuedocyst, it is often left untreated if it does not have any symptoms. For cysts with high risk of growth, surgery may be required.
Symptoms and Signs:
Many people who have pancreatic cysts do not experience any symptom. In advanced stages, the patient may feel a persistent pain in the abdomen, abdominal mass as well as vomiting and nausea.
Causes:
In majority of the cases, the underlying cause of this medical condition remains unknown. There are some cysts that are often associated with some rare illnesses — like von Hippel-Lindau disease, a genetic disorder that affects the retina, brain, kidneys, adrenal glands and pancreas.
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