• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.359-365
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• 2017

Two spaniel dogs were presented with a history of lethargy, weakness, refractory hypoglycemia, and episodic seizure. A pancreatic mass on the distal end of the left limb was identified through screening tests including dualphase CT angiography in each patient. Canine insulinoma was suspected with low blood glucose, low fructosamine, and normal to high serum insulin levels. Exploratory laparotomies were performed, and partial pancreatectomy using an ultrasonic-activated scalpel was achieved without enzyme leakage or fistula formation after surgery. The lesions were definitively diagnosed as insulinoma via histopathologic examination. One dog has been doing well until POD 870 with medication; in the other dog, diffuse hepatic nodules noted during surgery were confirmed as a liver metastasis. This dog died at POD 45. This case report addresses the utility of the ultrasonic scalpel in partial pancreatectomy for the treatment of canine insulinoma and differences in prognosis according to disease stage.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.181-189
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• 1988

Insulinoma is the most frequent endocrine tumor of the pancreas and the first of the endocrine-secreting tumor of the gut to be recognized by Nicholls in 1902. Recurrent episodes of hypoglycemia is the main cause of the symptoms and signs which were sweating, pallor, dizziness, habitual change, convulsion and coma. In 1935, Whipple and Frants were described so-called "Whipple's triad" : the patient's symptoms occur with fasting or exercise; at the time of symptoms, the serum glucose in 50mg/dl or less; and the symptoms are relieved by the administration of glucose. While these criteria were timely, they proved to be rather nonspecific and may be found in other conditions that result in fasting hypoglycemia. We experienced a 44-year-old female patient who had repeated attacks of convulsion, unconsciousness and coma for 3 years. Although she has been treated with anticonvulsant, the symptoms and signs were not disappeared. At the time of administration, she was a full coma state due to hypoglycemia and was dramatically reversed by intravenous administration of the glucose solution. The preoperative test such as provocative test, abdominal CT and celiac angiography revealed insulinoma and after enucleation the pathologic diagnosis was the same. We like to report a adult female patient with insulinoma and the review of literatures briefly.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.205-211
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• 1988

Insulinoma is a rare tumor, occurring more often in women and in the older age range. Eighty percent of patients have a single benign tumor, usually 2cm in diameter, located with about equal frequency in body, head or tail of pancreas and amenable to surgical cure. About 10% have multiple tumors. The remaining 10% of patients have metastatic malignant insulinoma. The symptom of insulinoma is characterized by the periodic attack of hypoglycemia of blood sugar level below 50mg%, by fasting or exertion, and rapid relief of symptom by oral or intravenous administration of glucose. Symptom often lead to misdiagnosis as a neurologic or psychiatric disorder. A case described by authors was 44-year old female with the chief complaints of the loss of consciousness, epileptic seizure although she has been treated by anticonvulsants. Serum blood sugar and insulin level during fasting sugested insulinoma but abdominal computed tomography shows no definitive mass in pancreas. Celiac angiography revealed insulinoma. She transfered to the defartment of General Surgery and was performed enucleation. Microscopic findings shows the islet cell tumor of pancreas. A brief review of the literature was made.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.205-208
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• 2012

Endocrine test data from a 13-year old intact female Maltese was indicative of the presence of an insulinoma, however ultrasonography identified a pancreatic mass only after 10 months after the first admission. Following identification of both pancreatic tumor and hepatic metastasis on computed tomography (CT), surgical excision of the mass was attempted. However, total excision failed because of tumor adhesion to adjacent large vessels. The pancreatic mass was monitored over the next 25 months via ultrasonography, CT, and positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT). Histopathological and immunohistochemical data confirmed the diagnosis of insulinoma with hepatic metastasis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.69-72
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• 2015

Insulinoma, which arises from insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells, is a rare tumor in children. Only 5%-10% of insulinomas are malignant and undergo metastasis. We report a case of an 11-year-old girl who experienced hypoglycemia-related seizures induced by an insulinoma; after resection of the primary tumor, she developed hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH). Laboratory test results indicated marked hypoglycemia with hyperinsulinemia. Abdominal ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography results were normal; however, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a solid mass in the pancreatic tail. Therefore, laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy was performed. Two months after the surgery, an abdominal MRI revealed multiple nodular lesions in the liver. An US-guided liver biopsy was then performed, and histological examination revealed FNH without necrosis or mitotic activity. The patient has been free of hypoglycemia for 2 years, and recent MRI studies showed a decrease in the size of FNH lesions, without any evidence of metastasis. Even though no metastatic lesions are noted on imaging, close observation and follow-up imaging studies are required in a child with insulinoma that has malignant potential on histopathologic findings.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.211-214
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• 2018

A 14-year-old intact female Yorkshire terrier was presented with a 2-month history of shivering, intermittent pelvic limb weakness and collapse. Biochemical abnormalities revealed inappropriately increased serum insulin concentration with persistent hypoglycemia. Abdominal ultrasound revealed multiple various sized nodules in liver and fine-needle aspirates of the nodule showed typical neuroendocrine cells with high cellularity. Computed tomography (CT) revealed well-defined hyperattenuating mass in the right pancreatic lobe with homogenous enhancement. CT findings were consistent with a pancreatic tumor with malignant metastasis. Treatment was initiated with low-dose prednisolone and toceranib phosphate. The dog was maintained stable with no more progression of clinical signs and it is worth to try toceranib phosphate in a dog with metastatic insulinoma for improving the quality of life.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.275-277
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• 2005

A six year old female Shih Tzu was euthanized after having about 2 months history of weakness and convulsion with hypoglycemia. On ultrasonography, several masses in variable sizes were noted in the liver and fine needle aspiration cytology revealed probable neoplasm of pancreatic origin. On necropsy, numerous round firm tan nodules with central depression were noted in the liver and heart. Mesenteric lymph node was enlarged and fused with presumable pancreatic tissue. Based on the histopathology and immunohistochemistry, the tumor was confirmed as malignant metastatic insulinoma.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.39.1-39.6
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• 2023

A 7-year-old spayed female Shih Tzu dog was presented for evaluation of recurrent hypoglycemia. Serum insulin levels during hypoglycemia were 35.3 µIU/mL. Ultrasonography and computed tomography showed a mesenteric nodule between the kidney and the portal vein, but no pancreatic mass was observed. During surgery, the nodule had neither anatomical adhesions nor vascular connections to the pancreas. Pancreatic inspection and palpation revealed no abnormalities. Hypoglycemia improved after resection of the nodule. Histopathological examination confirmed the nodule to be an islet cell carcinoma. Although extremely rare, ectopic insulinoma should be considered as a possible cause of insulininduced hypoglycemia in dogs.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.363-365
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• 2013

A 15-year-old, spayed female Maltese dog weighing 2.80 kg was referred with seizure of unknown origin. At presentation, serum biochemistry showed marked hypoglycemia (46 mg/dL; reference interval [RI], 65-118 mg/dL). There were, however, no abnormalities on electrolytes, complete blood counts, urinalysis, survey radiographs, and abdominal ultrasonography. In the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test, pre-ACTH and post-ACTH cortisol concentrations were within normal reference ranges. Serum insulin level was normal and fructosamine level was slightly lower than reference ranges. The clinical signs, including seizure and collapse caused by hypoglycemia, were gradually resolved with oral administration of prednisolone (PDS) twice daily. Forty five weeks later, serum biochemistry revealed hypoglycemia with markedly increased insulin level. On abdominal ultrasonography, increased heterogenous echogenecity with hypoechoic lesion was found within pancreatic parenchyma. Based on these findings, the dog was presumptively diagnosed to insulinoma. Hypoglycemic seizure was resolved with higher dose of PDS (1 mg/kg, q12h). At 688 days after first presentation, the patient was still alive without recurrence of hypoglycemic seizure. This case describes long-term management with PDS monotherapy in a Maltese dog with insulinoma.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.698-701
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• 1999