title: Spectrum of mucin-producing neoplastic conditions of the abdomen and pelvis: cross-sectional imaging evaluation.
abstract: Various mucin-producing neoplasms originate in different abdominal and pelvic organs. Mucinous neoplasms differ from non-mucinous neoplasms because of the differences in clinical outcome and imaging appearance. Mucinous carcinoma, in which at least 50% of the tumor is composed of large pools of extracellular mucin and columns of malignant cells, is associated with a worse prognosis. Signet ring cell carcinoma is characterized by large intracytoplasmic mucin vacuoles that expand in the malignant cells with the nucleus displaced to the periphery. Its prognosis is also generally poor. In contrast, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the bile duct and pancreas, which is characterized by proliferation of ductal epithelium and variable mucin production, has a better prognosis than other malignancies in the pancreaticobiliary tree. Imaging modalities play a critical role in differentiating mucinous from non-mucinous neoplasms. Due to high water content, mucin has a similar appearance to water on ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging, except when thick and proteinaceous, and then it tends to be hypoechoic with fine internal echoes or have complex echogenicity on US, hyperdense on CT, and hyperintense on T1- and hypointense on T2-weighted images, compared to water. Therefore, knowledge of characteristic mucin imaging features is helpful to diagnose various mucin-producing neoplastic conditions and to facilitate appropriate treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Pusan National University Hospital and Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan 602-739, South Korea.
authors.forename: Nam Kyung
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Suk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyun Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae Yong
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Gwang Ha
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong Uk
authors.initials: DU
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Do Youn
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Tae Un
authors.initials: TU
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae Hwan
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D034841:Abdominal Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D009077:Mucins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011553:Pseudomyxoma Peritonei / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D009077:Mucins