title: "Peripancreatic strands appearance" in pancreatic body and tail carcinoma: evaluation by multi-detector CT with pathological correlation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In pancreatic body and tail carcinoma, "peripancreatic strands appearance" is frequently seen on multidetector CT (MDCT). The purpose of this study was to clarify the pathological and clinical implications of peripancreatic strands appearance.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated MDCT images in 17 patients with pancreatic body and tail carcinoma who underwent surgical resection. Peripancreatic strands appearance was defined as the strands structure deriving from the primary lesion and associated with increased CT attenuation of surrounding adipose tissues. All CT examinations were performed by contrast-enhanced MDCT with a multiplanar reformation technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Peripancreatic strands appearance was detected on MDCT in 13 (76%) patients. The maximum width of the peripancreatic strands seen on MDCT was 1.55 ± 0.36 mm (range, 1.0-2.5 mm). This CT finding was well correlated with extrapancreatic carcinoma invasion with marked fibrotic thickening of adipose tissue septa, including microvessels. This pathological finding was confirmed in all 13 patients with positive CT finding whereas it was not confirmed in the 4 patients with negative CT finding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peripancreatic strands appearance on MDCT in pancreatic body and tail carcinoma reflects extrapancreatic carcinoma invasion with marked fibrotic thickening of adipose tissue septa. This CT finding would indicate the property of carcinoma aggressiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Hasama-machi, Yufu, Japan. matsushu@oita-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shunro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Hiromu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiyonaga
authors.forename: Michiaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sai
authors.forename: Yasunari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hijiya
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: Seigo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitano
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takaki
authors.forename: Kengo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukuzawa
authors.forename: Hirotoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yonemasu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D058954:Pancreatic Stellate Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013156:Splenectomy