The pancreas is a five to six inch elongated salmon pink gland located behind the stomach, in front of the spine and aorta, terminating near the spleen under the left diaphragm. The broader right end of the pancreas is called the head, the middle section is called the body, and the narrow left end is the tail. The pancreas contains a main duct that runs the length of the organ, draining smaller ducts and emptying into the duodenum.

What is the function of the pancreas?

The pancreas has two different functions to assist in processing food.

• Exocrine function - produces enzymes that help to break down fat and protein in food during digestion
• Hormone production - produces the hormones insulin and glucagon, which help regulate blood sugar