Polysplenia syndrome with congenital agenesis of dorsal pancreas presenting as acute pancreatitis and the role of endoscopic ultrasonography in its diagnosis

Korean J Gastroenterol. 2012 Jul;60(1):47-51. doi: 10.4166/kjg.2012.60.1.47.

Abstract

A 49-year-old female was admitted to our hospital for acute pancreatitis. The abdomen CT scan incidentally showed midline liver with hepatomegaly, centrally located gallbladder, pancreas truncation, right sided small bowel, left sided large bowel, interruption of the inferior vena cava with azygos continuation, preduodenal portal vein, and multiple spleens in the left upper quadrant. In MRCP, the head of pancreas was enlarged and short main pancreatic duct without accessory duct was showed. EUS revealed enlarged ventral pancreas with a main pancreatic duct of normal caliber, absence of the accessory pancreatic duct and the dorsal pancreas. She was diagnosed as polysplenia syndrome with agenesis of dorsal pancreas. It is a rare congenital anomaly frequently associated with various visceral anomalies including multiple spleens, impaired visceral lateralization, congenital heart diseases, gastrointestinal abnormalities and azygos continuation of the inferior vena cava. We report a case of polysplenia syndrome with agenesis of dorsal pancreas presenting acute pancreatitis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Congenital Abnormalities / diagnosis*
  • Congenital Abnormalities / diagnostic imaging
  • Endosonography
  • Female
  • Heterotaxy Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Heterotaxy Syndrome / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Middle Aged
  • Pancreas / abnormalities
  • Pancreas / diagnostic imaging
  • Pancreatitis / diagnosis*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Supplementary concepts

  • Pancreas agenesis, dorsal