Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Background:Detecting pancreatic abnormalities through routine noninvasive radiological methods, such as plain radiography and gastrointestinal barium studies, is feasible. However, these tests have limitations in terms of sensitivity and specificity. In the past, more invasive techniques, like retroperitoneal air insufflations with tomography, were attempted but didn't gain widespread clinical acceptance. Isotope scans also fell short due to their tendency to produce false-positive results.Methods:This retrospective study spanned one year, focusing on a study group comprising 200 patients suspected of having pancreatic diseases. The primary diagnostic modalities employed for examination were MDCT scans, MRI, or a combination of both.Results:In this study, pancreatic carcinoma was identified as a hypovascular mass, resulting in either no enhancement or mild post-contrast enhancement. Among the 28 cases examined, all displayed mild post-contrast enhancement, while 4 cases exhibited no enhancement at all. Upon contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) examination of the 20 cases with a mass in the head of the pancreas, 16 were hypodense, 4 were isodense, and 18 showed dilated main pancreatic duct (MPD), the most prevalent finding, followed by dilated common bile duct (CBD) in 16 cases (80.00%) and invasion of other organs in 4 cases (20%).On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination of the 8 cases with head carcinoma, 6 appeared hyperintense, 2 appeared hypointense, and all exhibited dilatation of MPD and CBD. Additionally, organ invasion was observed in one case. Among the 28 cases of head carcinoma, 8 (28.57%) showed distal metastasis in the liver. Conclusion:The findings of this study lead us to the conclusion that dual-phasic contrast-enhanced MDCT, specifically in the pancreatic parenchymal and venous phases, stands out as the preferred method for both detecting and staging pancreatic cancer, inflammatory lesions, and associated vascular complications. However, when it comes to identifying small, hypervascular neuroendocrine tumors, it is noteworthy that no single imaging method can capture all tumors comprehensively. In this context, a synergistic approach utilizing both MDCT and MRI proves to be beneficial, with each method complementing the other in providing a more comprehensive understanding of these tumors.