Rarely endometriosis may involve the pancreas.
Patient selection: woman with abdominal pain, nausea with vomiting, or a lesion seen in the pancreas on imaging studies.
If the patient is known to endometriosis elsewhere, then the diagnosis is more straightforward.
Pathologic changes may include:
(1) focal pancreatitis
(2) hemorrhagic cyst
Cystic endometriosis may be misdiagnosed as a cystic neoplasm of the pancreas, which may be supported by the presence of "metastases" in the abdomen.
Recognizing a correlation between symptoms and menses can be helpful in making the correct diagnosis.
Histology is diagnostic but obtaining the specimen may not be simple. Any lesion outside of the pancreas may be more suitable.
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Specialty: Gastroenterology
