Computer tomography (CT) finding of normal pancreas

Conventional radiology of the pancreas are too often unsatisfactory. It is well known that the whole body CTis very useful in identifying retroperitoneal pathology. The authors intended to present normal pancreaticmorphology and data for preparation of basis for interpretation o abnormalities. We results were as follows; 1.There were 36 male and 24 female patients, and their ages ranged fro 7 to 78 years. 2. 1) The organs adjacentpancreas were stomach, inferior vena cava, duodenum, caudate lobe of the liver left kidney, left adrenal gland,superior mesenteric vessels, spleen. 2) In 19 patients, pancreatic tail at the level of left kidney in thetransverse plane, it was either ventral in 13(68%), ventromedial in 2(19%), ventrolateral in 4(21%) to leftkidney, in the other ventral in 13(68%), ventromedial in 2(19%), ventrolateral in 4(21%) ot left kidney, in theother 41 patients, it was cranial to the upper pole of left kidney, ventral in 15(61%), ventromedial in 1(2%),ventrolateral in 15(37%). 3) Pancreatic tail was cranial to the pancreatic body, 3cm cranial in 2(4%), 2-3cm in5(8%), 1-2cm in 6(10%), less than 1cm in 11(18%). In the other, caudal in 3(5%). 3. Pancreatic shape was uniformtapering form in 37(62%), lobulated form in 23(38%). 4. Pancreatic orientation was horizontal in 13(22%), vertical56(76%), S-shaped in 1(2%). 5. Pancreatic margin was smooth in 22(37%), lobulated in 38(63%). 6. In most patients,pancrease was uniform in density. 7. Pancreatic size was 0.5+-0.1 in measurement ratio of the head in 48(80%),0.4+-0.1 of the body in 49(88%), 0.5+-0.1 of the tail in 47(78%).

Computed tomography in the evaluation of thoracic and lumbar spinal fracture

The accurate diagnosis of spine trauma is essential to its proper management, since therapeutic decisionsdepend on radiography and clinical data. Failure to recognize significant injury to the spine can lead to severeneurological deficit in the previously neulogically intact patient. The developmemt of CT has open a new demensionin evaluation of spinal column. In our experience CT not only offer the accurate and thorough evaluation of spinalinjury, but does so in a rapid and more efficient manner when compared with conventional radiolgraphy. CT hasbecome the diagnostic procedure of choice when screening plain film and clinical examination indecate that acomprehensive radiographic evaluation is necessary. Eighteen patients with thoracic and lumber spinal fracturewere studied with CT. Four had multiple level injuries. The resuls are summerized as follow; 1. Among the 18patients, 4 had multiple level injuries and other 14 patients had single spinal injury. 2. 8 patients (11 spines)had simple compression fracture and 12 patients (13 spines) had burst fracture of vertebral body. 3. 15 spinesamong the 24 involved spines are located at T12 and L1 level. 4. Spineal canal narrowing and bony fragment in thecanal are defiend only 7 of 13 spines (53.8%) of burst fracture in conventional radiography. However CT showed inall spines of burst fracture. 5. Spinal posterior element involvement is suggested only one of 12 spines of burstfracture, but correctly interpretated by CT in 7 spines(11 anatomical position).