Endocrine System
Pancreatic Islets - Hypoplasia
Narrative
Comment:
Islet cell hypoplasia is considered a congenital change. In cases of islet cell hypoplasia, typically one or two hypoplastic islets are the only islets present in the section (e.g., only two hypoplastic islets in Figure 1, Figure 2, and Figure 3 and one hypoplastic islet in Figure 4). An adequate section is necessary to confirm this diagnosis since islet size and density vary by region within the pancreas.
Recommendations:
Hypoplasia of the pancreatic islets should be diagnosed and given a severity grade whenever present.
References:
Riley MGI, Boorman GA, Hayashi Y. 1990. Endocrine pancreas. In: Pathology of the Fischer Rat: Reference and Atlas (Boorman GA, Eustis SL, Elwell MR, Montgomery CA, MacKenzie WF, eds). Academic Press, San Diego, 545-553.
Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/9002563