title: Imaging Characteristics and Prevalence of Pancreatic Carcinoma in Kosovo During 2011-2015 - Diagnostic Method as Choice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pancreatic cancer is the 10(th)most common malignancy and the 4(th)largest cancer killer in adults.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the number of cases presented with pancreatic carcinoma during the years 2011-2015, our experience of the imaging characteristics of pancreatic carcinoma. We evaluated prevalence of the pancreatic cancers, distant metastases and other local infiltration signs among the total cases of the pancreatic cancers diagnosed in the University Clinical Center of Kosovo, with the aim to compare these research findings to similar studies made in the developed countries. This is a retrospective research study done during the period of 2011-2015.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective research study includes 362 patients recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, examined in the period of 2011-2015 at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo. The imaging diagnostics are performed with MSCT Sensation 64 Siemens, MSCT Emotion 6 Siemens, and 1.5T MRI Symphony Siemens, biopsy guide with MSCT Sensation 64 Siemens in the Radiologic Clinic of UCCK; while the histopathology diagnostics has been performed in Clinic of Pathology at UCCK and prevalence is taken from the number of cases Reported at the Institute of Oncology Institute of Statistics and NIPH (National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of a total of the 362 patients diagnosed with pancreas cancer, results is female 39.5% (n=143) and male 61.5% (n=219), report M: F (1: 1.6), 286 cases resulted in head and neck 79 % (n=286), 76 cases resulted in body and tail cancers (21%), distant metastases in first imaging modality were found in(n=155) patients 43 %, local infiltration was found in patients: gastric infiltration 15 % (n=54), duodenal and papilla infiltration 26% (n=94), local infiltration spleen 16% (n=57), local infiltration mesentery 43 % (n= 155), dilated biliary tree 34 % (n=123), regional lymph node infiltration 83 % (n= 300). Out of a total of the 362 patients diagnosed with pancreas cancer, 346 cases resulted > 2 cm and 16 cases resulted < 2 cm and with component cystic was 41.2 % (n = 149), solid with component cystic - necrotic 33% (n= 119), solid 25.7% (n= 93). The prevalence is 19.9: 100,000 inhabitants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of carcinoma of the pancreas for 5 years in Kosovo has proved to be prevalence is 19.9: 100,000 inhabitants. Seventy-four percent (74 %, n= 268) of all cancers are found in Stage III and IV. From an imaging point of view, these cancers were presented in an advanced stage, mainly due to their late clinical symptoms and limited access to imaging methods in our country.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Pristine University, Pristine, Kosovo; Department of Radiology, Diagnostic Centre, UCCK, Pristine, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Kreshnike
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dedushi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Pristine University, Pristine, Kosovo; Department of Radiology, Diagnostic Centre, UCCK, Pristine, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Serbeze
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kabashi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Pristine University, Pristine, Kosovo; National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo, Pristine, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Sefedin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mucaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Diagnostic Centre, UCCK, Pristine, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Gazmed
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hasbahta
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Pristine University, Pristine, Kosovo; National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo, Pristine, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Naser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ramadani
authors.affiliation: American Hospital, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Astrit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoxhaj
keywords: Distant Metastasis; Kosovo; Local Infiltration; MRI; MSCT; Pancreatic Cancer; Prevalence; UCCK Pristina