Computed tomography of pancreatic carcinoma

ABSTRACT

CT has proven useful in diagnosing pancreatic disease. It is well known that CT is a reliable, simple,noninvasive method for detecting pancreatic carcinoma and extension of the pathology. Of 1150 cases studied forabdominal pathology with Varian-360-3 whole body scanner from June 1980 to June 1982, 38 cases were confirmed tobe pancreatic carcinoma clinically or operatively. We reviewed the CT findings of above cases and the results wereas follows; 1. The sex ration was 31 males to 7 females and the greatest number of cases (31.6%) were seen infourth decade. 2. There were enlargement of pancreas in 37 cases (97.4%), peripancreatic fat obliteration in 28cases (73.7%), dilatation of bile duct in 27 cases (71.1%), enlargement of retroperitoneal lymph nodes in 32 cases(84.2%), dilatation of pancreatic duct in 12 cases (31.6%), Thick vessel sign in 10 cases (26.3%), atrophy ofpancreas body and tail in 3 cases (7.9%), and metastasis in 17 cases (44.7%). 3. In 37 cases of enlargement ofpancreas, enlargement of head in 24 cases, enlargement of head and body in 7 cases, enlargement of body in 2cases, enlargement of body and tail in 2 cases, enlargement of tail in 1 case, and diffuse enlargement of pancreasin 1 case, were observed. 4. Associated findings on CT were pleural effusion (5 cases), ascites (4 cases), livercirrhosis(3 cases), splenomegaly (2 cases), gall stones (3 cases), cholecystitis(2 cases), CBD stone (1 case), IHDstone (1 case), Hydronephrosis (2 cases), renal cyst (2 cases), intraabdominal abscess(1 case), and spinetuberculosis(1 case). 5. There were difficulties in diagnosing one case of diffuse enlargement of opancreas withhead cancer, one case of necrotic head cancer similar to pseudocyst, one case of tail cancer associated withabscess and one case of head cancer associated with pseudocyst in lesser sac.