CT scan or CAT generally knows as Computerized axial tomography is another technique that produces detailed cross-sectional images of internal organs and tissues. Doctors first determine the extent of the disease through CT scanning, an accurate method of diagnosing and staging pancreatic cancer. Most commonly used test is ultrasound, which is affordable to almost every one. In this test high frequency sound waves are used that bounce off structures in the patient’s body. A computer translates these echoes into a sonogram image.

An endoscope (a long, thin, illuminated optic instrument) is passed through the patient’s mouth into the stomach. By using this instrument in combination with ultrasound images, it can be determined if the cancer has invaded adjacent veins or lymph glands. A type of MRI, MRCP allows the physician to get a picture of the pancreatic ducts, the internal channels of the pancreas that are a prime target of tumors.

Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which malignant cells are found in the tissues of the pancreas. It is also called exocrine cancer. Pancreatic cancer is sometimes called a “silent killer” because early pancreatic cancer often does not cause symptoms. Pancreatic cancer is usually diagnosed with tests and procedures that produce pictures of the pancreas and the area around it. Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly and is seldom detected in its early stages, which is a major reason why it’s a leading cause of cancer death.

The three ways that cancer spreads in the body are, through tissue. Cancer invades the surrounding normal tissue and through the lymph system. Cancer invades the lymph system and travels through the lymph vessels to other places in the body. Some risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer include Smoking, Long-term diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, certain hereditary disorders.