How to Diagnose Gastrinomas

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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A gastrinoma is a tumor that creates secretions of gastrin, a hormone responsible for stomach acid. Many gastrinomas are malignant (cancerous) and need prompt treatment. The emergence of gastrinomas is associated with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES), and is often referred to as gastrinoma. Gastrinoma often begins in the pancreas and the duodenum (the beginning of the small intestine) and may spread to the liver. A patient with gastrinoma may have prolonged symptoms associated with peptic ulcers, and may not be diagnosed with gastrinoma right away.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Diagnose Gastrinomas

Step 1

Obtain a blood test to find out how much gastrin is in the blood stream. An amount of four to ten times the normal amount of gastrin is a sign of gastrinomas.
Step 2

Attempt to get a certain response from the system by eating foods indicated by a physician, or by getting a secretin injection.
Step 3

Consider surgery as an option for locating gastrinomas. This is necessary when imaging does not uncover all of the tumors.
Step 4

Look into getting a stomach x-ray as a supplement to other diagnostic procedures.
Step 5

Consider endoscopy, a procedure used to diagnose that uses a lighted tube to view the inside of the body.
Step 6

Diagnose the level of gastric acid in the system. Although people with gastrinomas and peptic ulcers have similar symptoms, those with gatrinomas have higher levels of gastric acid.

Tips & Warnings

There is a gender factor in gastrinoma. Males are almost twice as likely to have gastrinomas as females.
People aged 30 to 50 years are the most likely to get gastrinomas. However, a person at any age can develop gastrinomas.
The cause of gastrinomas is not entirely known. While many of gastrinoma cases appear sporadically, about 25 percent are genetic, a phenomenon referred to as multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) syndrome.
Gastrinomas, which are tumors, are sometimes called masses or neoplasms.
It is worthwhile to be educated on diagnosing gastrinomas because the tumors often go undetected and the condition is sometimes misdiagnosed. Consult Cure Research for comprehensive information on diagnosing gastrinomas and other issues on this condition (see Resources below).
Many gastrinomas are too small to be detected through x-ray or other imaging procedures.
The symptoms of grastrinomas are virtually identical to those of peptic ulcer disease. Ask a doctor about multiple diagnostic procedures to prevent a misdiagnosis.
The only way some gastrinomas may be diagnosed is if they have metastasized, or have grown.