title: Magnetic resonance imaging of the spleen and pancreas.
abstract: MRI of the spleen and pancreas requires specialized sequences which diminish artifacts in the upper abdomen. High temporal resolution sequences (e.g., spoiled gradient echo) acquired immediately after intravenous Gd-DTPA administration are necessary for imaging both the spleen and pancreas. In evaluating the spleen, early post Gd-DTPA images are essential as many focal disease processes (e.g., lymphomatous deposits or metastases) equilibrate rapidly (< 2 min) with splenic parenchyma. Complete pancreatic examination also requires the use of T1-weighted fat suppressed spin echo. T2-weighted images provide complementary information in a number of settings, in particular in the evaluation of islet cell tumors. Pancreatic ductal carcinoma is low signal on T1-weighted images and enhances in a diminished fashion on immediate post Gd-DTPA images. These tumors are well differentiated from focal chronic pancreatitis and islet celltumors based on their appearances on combined T1, T2-weighted and immediate post Gd-DTPA enhanced images.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill 27599-7510, USA.
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Semelka
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology*; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology*; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013160:Splenic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA