Pancreatic Cancer Screening

You may be at increased risk if at least one person in your family has had pancreatic cancer or if you have a family history of other related cancers.

At our Pancreatic Cancer Center, we provide genetic counseling and genetic testing for people newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer as well as those at an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer due to family history. We order tests, review the results, and discuss any necessary additional screening tests.

If genetic testing determines an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, doctors at Perlmutter Cancer Center may perform annual screening tests to detect developing tumors.

Endoscopic Ultrasound

In an endoscopic ultrasound, sound waves are used to create images of the pancreas that are viewed on a computer monitor. In this test, an echoendoscope, which is a thin tube attached to an ultrasound probe, is placed in a person’s mouth after sedation and advanced to the small intestine where the pancreas is viewed.

Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography

In magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, magnetic fields and radio waves produce detailed, three-dimensional images of the pancreas and bile ducts. These MRI scans are usually performed in an enclosed machine.