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Diagnostic Approach

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Book cover Gastrointestinal Complications of Diabetes

Part of the book series: Clinical Gastroenterology ((CG))

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Abstract

The diagnostic approach for pancreatic disease must rely on a combination of laboratory tests, imaging studies, and clinical symptoms. However, the symptoms of pancreatic diseases are often absent for a long time. Establishing a diagnosis at an early stage of the disease can improve outcomes by providing adequate treatment modalities and preventing complications. Pancreatic enzyme tests in body fluids have proven their value in evaluation of pancreatic disease but have some limitations. Pancreatic function tests detect diffuse pancreatic disease and reveal early deterioration of pancreatic exocrine function before the clinical characteristics such as maldigestion or steatorrhea occur. Advances in technologies have given the ability to visualize changes in pancreatic structure using available imaging procedures. However, detecting pancreatic disease in its early stages is still a difficult task. In this chapter, we discuss the diagnostic approach to pancreatic disease, and the advantages and disadvantages of available diagnostic methods, identifying gaps for each method to increase diagnostic accuracy of early-stage pancreatic disease.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Nutrition, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

    Mario Tadić & Ivica Grgurević

  2. Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia

    Mario Tadić & Ivica Grgurević

  3. Department of Pathology and Cytology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia

    Tajana Štoos-Veić

Authors
  1. Mario Tadić
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  2. Tajana Štoos-Veić
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  3. Ivica Grgurević
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia

    Marko Duvnjak

  2. Merkur University Hospital, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia

    Lea Smirčić-Duvnjak

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Tadić, M., Štoos-Veić, T., Grgurević, I. (2018). Diagnostic Approach. In: Duvnjak, M., Smirčić-Duvnjak, L. (eds) Gastrointestinal Complications of Diabetes . Clinical Gastroenterology. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75856-5_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75856-5_18

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