Pancreas
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Overview
The pancreas is an abdominal organ that has both endocrine and exocrine functions. It is divided anatomically into a head, neck, body and tail. It is mostly retroperitoneal with the exception of the tail which is intraperitoneal. It occupies the epigastric and left hypochondrium regions and lies on the posterior abdominal wall.Head of pancreas
The head lies in the concavity of the duodenum. Anatomically it can be divided into the head proper and uncinate process. The uncinate process is the inferior projection which actually tucks in behind the neck and body of the pancreas. The superior mesenteric vessels pass behind the neck of the pancreas then anterior to the uncinate process.The superior border of the head is related to the 1st part of the duodenum, the right lateral border to the 2nd part of the duodenum and the inferior border to the 3rd part of the duodenum.
| Relation | Structure |
|---|---|
| Anterior | Transverse colon Transverse mesocolon Superior mesenteric vessels (anterior to uncinate process) Jejunum |
| Posterior | Common bile duct IVC Left renal vein Aorta (posterior to uncinate process) |
Neck of pancreas
The neck lies in the transpyloric plane and is an important anatomical relation to a number of vascular structures:
| Relation | Structure |
|---|---|
| Anterior | Pylorus |
| Posterior | Superior mesenteric artery lies in a groove on the posterior surface Posterior to the neck the splenic and superior mesenteric veins unite to form the hepatic portal vein |
Body of pancreas
The body is the largest section of the pancreas and extends to the left side behind the stomach.| Relation | Structure |
|---|---|
| Anterior | Stomach Lesser sac |
| Posterior | Aorta and origin of the superior mesenteric artery left kidney and left adrenal gland |
Tail of pancreas
The tail is the left most extremity of the pancreas and is the only part which is intraperitoneal. It is located within the lienorenal ligament alongside splenic vessels. The left kidney is posterior to the tail of the pancreas.
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Diagram illustrating blood supply to the pancreas
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Diagram illustrating head, neck, body and tail of the pancreas
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Diagram illustrating location of the pancreas in the transpyloric plane
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Note the central collection of cells or islet consisting mostly of beta cells surrounded by the ductal or acinar (exocrine) cells