CT pancreatogram in carcinoma of the pancreas and chronic pancreatitis

Conference · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · Radiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:5601494

Karasawa, E; Goldberg, H I; Moss, A A; Federle, M P; London, S S

CT has made it possible to determine the contour of the pancreatic duct, to measure its caliber, and to detect dilatation of the duct. CT scans of 75 patients with pancreatic carcinoma and of 45 patients with chronic pancreatitis were obtained. Dilatation of the pancreatic duct was seen in 56% of patients with carcinoma, and in 70% of those with tumors confined to the pancreatic head and body. Smooth dilatation (43%) or beaded dilatation (40%) were most commonly associated with carcinoma. Ductal dilatation was present in 58% of the patients with chronic pancreatitis, and irregular dilatation was seen in 73% of the patients in this group. About half of the patients who had irregular dilatation had calculi within the ducts. Eight cases of dilatation of the duct with no detectible pancreatic mass were seen in a subgroup of 13 patients who had small carcinomas of the pancreas (tumor size of 3 cm or less). Our findings indicate that a dilated pancreatic duct with a smooth contour and a ratio of duct to total gland width of 0.50 or greater suggests carcinoma as the underlying pathology.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, San Francisco
• OSTI ID: 5601494
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Radiology; (United States) Journal Volume: 148:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550602* -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Diagnostics-- (1980-)
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
BODY
CALCULI
CARCINOMAS
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISEASES
DISEASES
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
GLANDS
NEOPLASMS
ORGANS
PANCREAS
PATIENTS
TOMOGRAPHY