Mass lesions in chronic pancreatitis: benign or malignant? An "evidence-based practice" approach.
The diagnosis of a pancreatic mass lesion in the presence of chronic pancreatitis can be extremely challenging. At the same time, a high level of certainty about the diagnosis is necessary for appropriate management planning. The aim of this study was to establish current best evidence about which imaging methods reliably differentiate a benign from a malignant lesion, and show how that evidence is best applied. A diagnostic algorithm based on Bayesian analysis is proposed.
Department of Radiology, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. j.gerstenmaier@svuh.ie
Jan F
JF
Gerstenmaier
Dermot E
DE
Malone
D000465:Algorithms; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*