Natural history of pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous tumor of branch duct type: follow-up study by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to elucidate the natural history of branch duct type pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous tumor (IPMT) by evaluating serial changes in the magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) findings of patients diagnosed with pancreatic IPMT of branch duct type.


METHODS
Thirty-five patients had branch duct type IPMT, including 9 patients with separate lesions, and underwent initial and follow-up MRCP over a period of more than 12 months. The maximum diameter of the cystic lesion, the presence of associated main pancreatic duct (MPD) dilatation, and the presence of a filling defect were evaluated. Serial changes in these findings were analyzed.


RESULTS
Tumor enlargement on follow-up MRCP was observed in 7 cases. Of the 29 branch duct IPMTs without associated MPD dilatation or a filling defect identified on initial MRCP, only 1 showed gradual tumor enlargement. In 4 cases, the cyst size decreased on follow-up MRCP.


CONCLUSIONS
Branch duct type IPMTs grow slowly and can be monitored without operation provided that the tumor shows no associated MPD dilatation or filling defect.
Irie
Hiroyuki
H
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. irie@med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Yoshimitsu
Kengo
K
Aibe
Hitoshi
H
Tajima
Tsuyoshi
T
Nishie
Akihiro
A
Nakayama
Tomohiro
T
Kakihara
Daisuke
D
Honda
Hiroshi
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000473:pathology; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*