digestive disorders
Insulinoma
Diagnosis of Insulinoma
Blood tests Imaging tests Diagnosing an insulinoma can be difficult. Doctors try to do blood tests while the person has symptoms and has not eaten. Blood tests include measurements of blood glucose levels andinsulinlevels. Very low levels of glucose and high levels ofinsulinin the blood indicate the presence of an insulinoma. Because many people have symptoms only occasionally, doctors may admit them to the hospital. In the hospital, the person fasts for at least 48 hours, sometimes up to 72 hours, and is closely monitored. During that time, the symptoms usually appear, and blood tests are done to measure the levels of glucose andinsulin. If the blood tests suggest the person has an insulinoma, the location must then be pinpointed. Imaging tests, such as endoscopic Ultrasound Scanning (Ultrasonography) of the Abdomen (which shows the lining of the digestive tract more clearly because the ultrasound probe is placed on the tip of the endoscope) or 