Ultrasonographic identification and measurement of the human fetal pancreas in utero

One hundred seventy ultrasonographic examinations, done to identify and measure the fetal pancreas in utero, were performed on 78 women with regular menstrual cycle, at 20-41 weeks of gestation. The pancreas, which could be identified after 20 weeks of gestation was measured in 38.4% at 36-39 weeks and 80.0% at 20-23 weeks gestation. The length of the fetal pancreas from the head to tail (FP-L) correlated well with the gestational age (r = 0.90, P less than 0.001). The normal sonographic characteristics of the fetal pancreas are discussed.