Atypical 64 slice spiral CT imaging findings of pancreatic cancer

Objective To analyze atypical 64-slice spiral CT imaging finings of pancreatic cancer and to improve the ability to identify CT manifestations of pancreatic cancer. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the atypical 64-slice spiral CT imaging findings of 12 eases of pancreatic cancer confirmed by pathology after surgery. Results All the twelve cases were pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.Among them, 7 cases were moderately differentiated ductal adenocarcinoma, 1 case was well-differentiated ductal adenocarcinoma, 1 case was mucinous adenocarcinoma, 3 cases were adenosquamous carcinoma. Among 8 cases with ductal adenocarcinoma, the lesions were located in the pancreatic head and (or) uncinate process in 7 cases, and in the pancreatic neck of 1 case. Tumors were expressed as isodense or low-density or cysticsolid lesions, the masses showed no enhancement in the enhanced scanning phase. Tumors were clearly exogenous or exogenous tendencies in 5 cases. Five cases had no distal pancreatic duct dilation, 2 patients had common bile duct and intrahepatic biliary dilation, and only 1 patient had atrophy of distal pancreas. There was one case of mucinous carcinoma, plain CT scan showed a cystic lesion in head of pancreas about 5cm in diameter, the solid part below the cystic lesion was slightly enhamced in the enhanced scanning phase and the body and tail pancreatic duct was moderately dilated (7 mm). There was no common bile duct and adjacent blood vessels invasion. Among 3 cases of adenosquamous carcinoma, lesions were located in the pancreatic head of 2 cases and in pancreatic body of 1 case. The maximal diameter of mass ranged 3.0 cm ～ 4.5 cm.Cystic necrotic area was observed within the lesions in 3 cases in enhanced pancreatic parenchymal phase of CT scan. Distal pancreatic duct were mildly dilated (4 ～ 5 mm) in 3 cases. There was no common bile duct and intrahepatic bile duct dilation. Conclusions Pancreatic cancer may show atypical CT imaging findings and great cautions are needed for differential diagnosis. Key words: Pancreatic neoplasms;  Tomngraphy, X-ray computed; Diagnosis, differential; Cancer, atypical