title: The value of liver magnetic resonance imaging in patients with findings of resectable pancreatic cancer on computed tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accurate staging of patients with pancreatic cancer is important to avoid unnecessary operations. The aim of this study was to prospectively assess the impact of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging on preoperative staging of liver in patients with findings of resectable pancreatic cancer on computed tomography (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients who presented to a tertiary referral centre with pancreatic cancer between April 2012 and December 2013 were included in the study. Patients with findings of resectable disease on CT underwent further liver diffusion-weighted MR imaging, using a hepatocyte-specific contrast agent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 583 patients with pancreatic cancer were referred. 69 (11.8%) had resectable disease on CT. Of these 69 patients, 16 (23.2%) had liver metastases on MR imaging, while 6 (8.7%) had indeterminate lesions. Of the 16 patients with positive MR imaging findings of liver metastases, 11 died of pancreatic cancer, with a mean survival time of nine months (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.22-14.05). The mean survival time of the 47 patients with negative MR imaging findings was 16 months (95% CI 14.33-18.10; p = 0.001). Subsequently, 22 of these patients underwent surgery, and only 1 (4.5%) patient was found to have liver metastasis at surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study indicate that MR imaging improves the staging of disease in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hairmyres Hospital, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Glasgow University, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: O'Dwyer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures
keywords: contrast agent; diffusion-weighted imaging; hepatocyte-specific; magnetic resonance imaging of liver; pancreatic cancer