title: A case of inferior vena cava thrombosis and pulmonary embolism secondary to acute exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis: a rare finding in radionuclide venography.
abstract: A rare case of inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis and pulmonary embolism secondary to acute exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis was reported. Radionuclide venography and lung perfusion scintigraphy were performed on a 46-year-old male with acute exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis who complained of mild swelling of a leg and shortness of breath. Scintigraphy showed an abnormal large hot spot at the level of the pancreas and a pulmonary embolism. Enhanced abdominal CT revealed an IVC thrombus and a cystic mass adjacent to the IVC. Despite the absence of severe abdominal pain, the serum amylase and elastase-1 levels were very high. These findings indicated that a pancreatic cyst had penetrated into the IVC, where it triggered the formation of a thrombus and caused a pulmonary embolism. Scintigraphic examination was useful for the evaluation of this rare condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Osaka Red Cross Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hachiya
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010181:Pancreatic Cyst / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; C082426:technetium Tc99m-mercaptoacetyl albumin