Change in shape and position of the pancreas with posture of the patient.

A comparison of images obtained using 75Se-methionine revealed changes in the shape and position of the pancreas when the patient was in the supine and right lateral decubitus positions. These changes, which were appreciable and often marked in 93% of 168 patients with a probable normal pancreas, sometimes helped in the interpretation of an image. Similar changes were noted in 12 (63%) of 19 patients with chronic pancreatitis where an adequate image could be obtained.