CT and MRI features of acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas with pathological correlations.
OBJECTIVE
To document the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas and to correlate them with pathological findings to determine the unique imaging manifestations of this rare subtype tumour of the pancreas.


METHODS
From January 1986 to August 2008, six patients (five men and one woman, mean age 61.3 years) with histologically proven acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas underwent CT (n=6) and MRI (n=4) examinations. The imaging features of each tumour were documented and compared with pathological findings.


RESULTS
The tumours were distributed in the head (n=4), body (n=1), and tail (n=1) of the pancreas. Four masses (67%) were uniformly or partially well-defined with thin, enhancing capsules. Central cystic components were found in five tumours (83%). Two tumours (33%) exhibited intratumoural haemorrhage, and one tumour (17%) had amorphous intratumoural calcification. In both CT and MRI, the tumours enhanced less than the adjacent normal pancreatic parenchyma. The signal intensity on MRI was predominantly T1 hypointense and T2 iso- to hyperintense.


CONCLUSIONS
Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas has distinct imaging features, and both CT and MRI are useful and complementary imaging methods.
Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, College of Medicine and School of Medical Technology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
M-Y
MY
Hsu
K-T
KT
Pan
S-Y
SY
Chu
C-F
CF
Hung
R-C
RC
Wu
J-H
JH
Tseng
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018267:Carcinoma, Acinar Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D046790:Pancreas, Exocrine; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins