FETAL PANCREAS

The head of the fetal pancreas can be visualized between the left kidney and stomach.

• Sigmoid-shaped structure posterior to the fetal stomach and pylorus. The head is usually in front of the hepatic artery; the body is anterior to the splenic artery with the tail being anterior to the left kidney.
• Slightly more echogenic than the liver (1).
• Can be visualized in 74% of cases between 14-20 weeks of gestational age (2).
• Fetal pancreatic length increases with gestational age in an almost linear fashion.
  Length = -4.1 + 0.9 (MA)      R² = 0.81 (1).

NORMAL EMBRYOLOGY

Link to Normal Embryology

REFERENCES

1. Hata K, Hata T, Kitao M. Ultrasonographic identification and measurement of the human fetal pancreas in utero. Int J Obstet Gynecol 1988;26:61-64.
2. Hill LM, Peterson C, Rivello D et.al. Sonographic detection of the fetal pancreas. J Clin Ultrasound 1989;17:475-479.