Pancreatic adenocarcinoma: dynamic 64-slice helical CT with perfusion imaging.
BACKGROUND
Perfusion CT is able to outline blood perfusion changes in a tissue. Thus, in lesions of the tissues of the pancreas, this offers to increase the accuracy of CT diagnosis. In this study, our aim was to explore the perfusion characteristics of normal pancreas and pancreatic adenocarcinoma.


METHODS
Dynamic 64-slice helical CT was conducted in 36 patients with non-pancreatic disease and in 40 patients with histopathologically proven pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Perfusion parameters including blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), and permeability surface area product (PS) were recorded.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference noted between the distribution of BF, BV, and PS values in different regions of the pancreas, namely the head, neck, body, and tail (P > 0.05). The BF, BV, and PS of normal pancreas were recorded as 135.24 +/- 48.36 ml min(-1) 100 g(-1), 200.55 +/- 54.96 ml 100 g(-1), and 49.75 +/- 24.27 ml min(-1) 100 g(-1), respectively. BF, BV, and PS values of the tumor tissue of pancreatic adenocarcinoma decreased significantly compared to normal pancreas (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Normal pancreas appears homogenous on perfusion CT. A significant decrease of BF, BV, and PS was observed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Dynamic 64-slice helical CT with perfusion imaging should be considered a potential modality to increase the accuracy of CT diagnosis for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Xu
Jin
J
Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Institution, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
Liang
Zonghui
Z
Hao
Sijie
S
Zhu
Li
L
Ashish
Maskay
M
Jin
Chen
C
Fu
Deliang
D
Ni
Quanxing
Q
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007472:Iohexol; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media; D007472:Iohexol