Decrease in Pancreatic Perfusion of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Detected by Perfusion Computed Tomography

The objectives of the study was to compare pancreatic perfusion by computed tomography in type 2 diabetes and non-diabetic subjects.

In this case-control study, 17 patients with type 2 diabetes and 22 non-diabetic controls were examined with a dynamic 192-slices perfusion computed tomography for estimating pancreatic perfusion parameters.

Thirty-nine patients were included (22 with Type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM]), with a mean age of 64 years. There were significant differences in some pancreatic perfusion parameters in patients with and without type 2 diabetes. Blood volume (BV) was lower in pancreatic head (with T2DM: 14.0 ± 3.4 vs. without T2DM: 16.1 ± 2.4 mL/100 mL; P = 0.033), pancreatic tail (with: 14.4 ± 3.6 vs. without: 16.8 ± 2.5 mL/100 mL; P = 0.023), and in whole pancreas (with: 14.2 ± 3.2 vs. without: 16.2 ± 2.5 mL/100 mL; P = 0.042). Similar behavior was observed with mean transit time (MTT) in pancreatic head (with: 7.0 ± 1.0 vs. without: 7.9 ± 1.2 s; P = 0.018), pancreatic tail (with: 6.6 ± 1.3 vs. without: 7.7 ± 0.9 s; P = 0.005), and in whole pancreas (with: 6.8 ± 1.0 vs. without: 7.7 ± 0.9 s; P = 0.016). BV in head, tail, and whole pancreas had negative correlations with age (head r: -0.352, P = 0.032; tail r: -0.421, P = 0.031; whole pancreas r: -0.439, P = 0.007), and fasting plasma glucose (head r: -0.360, P = 0.031; tail r: -0.483, P = 0.003; whole pancreas r: -0.447, P = 0.006). In a multivariate linear regression model, HbA1c was independently associated with decrease in BV in whole pancreas (β: -0.884; CI95%: -1.750 to -0.017; P = 0.046).

Pancreatic BV and MTT were significantly lower in patients with type 2 diabetes. BV was decreased with older age and poorer glycemic control.