SECOND PANCREAS SIGN – A SONOGRAPHIC SIGN TO IDENTIFYHORSE SHOE KIDNEY

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to establish a sonographic sign to identify horse
shoe kidney. Isthmus of horse shoe kidney may be seen as a horizontal hypoechoic
tissue in the midline anterior to vertebra resembling pancreas – second pancreas sign.
Method: The patients were examined in supine position with curvilinear probe of frequency 7
Hz. Axial images were obtained from the epigastrium to umbilicus to identify the isthmus.
Complications like hydronephrosis, calculi and tumor were also looked for.
Results: Among the patients diagnosed sonographically with horse shoe kidney, isthmus was
identified as a solid structure anterior to the aorta resembling pancreas in 84.4 % patients.
Conclusion: Visualization of the isthmus as ‘second pancreas’ helps in almost definite diagnosis
of horse shoe kidney.