[Are ultrasonic images in diabetics different?]

The authors evaluated the results assembled in 5397 patients where between Jan. 1 1999 and Oct. 31 2000 sonographic examinations of the abdominal cavity and retroperitoneum were made with the objective to assess whether there are any statistically significant differences of results in diabetic patients, as compared with a group without this disease. The group of patients was divided into a sub-group of 4287 patients without diabetes and a sub-group of 1100 diabetics. For statistical evaluation of the significance of differences in the incidence of the investigated parameters Fisher's exact test was used. The image of "light liver" was significantly more frequent in diabetics type 1 and 2, as compared with non-diabetics (p < 0.001). The sonographic picture, consistent with the diagnosis of cirrhosis of the liver, was at the same level of significance more frequent in non-diabetics, similarly as the incidence of haemangioma. The finding of cholecystolithiasis and the number of patients with a history of CHCE on account of cholecysolithiasis was significantly higher (p < 0.05) only in type 1 diabetics as compared with non-diabetics. The incidence of sonographic changes consistent with acalculous cholecystitis was statistically higher in both groups of diabetics (p < 0.001), as compared with non-diabetics. On examination of the pancreas only the incidence of changes consistent with acute or chronic pancreatitis was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the group of type 2 diabetics as compared with non-diabetics. Evaluation of sonographic findings of the kidneys revealed statistically significant differences only in the higher incidence of cysts in the group of type 2 diabetics as compared with type 1 diabetics and as compared with non-diabetics (p < 0.01). The impact of the presented findings and their comparison with data reported in the literature is discussed.