title: Pancreatic endometrial cyst mimics mucinous cystic neoplasm of the pancreas.
abstract: Pancreatic cysts include a variety of benign, premalignant, and malignant lesions. Endometrial cysts in the pancreas are exceedingly rare lesions that are difficult to diagnose pre-operatively. This report describes the findings in a 43-year-old patient with a recent episode of acute pancreatitis who presented with a large cyst in the tail of the pancreas. Imaging demonstrated a loculated pancreatic cyst, and cyst fluid aspiration revealed an elevated amylase and carcinoembryonic antigen. The patient experienced an interval worsening of abdominal pain, fatigue, diarrhea, and a 15-pound weight loss 3 mo after the initial episode of pancreatitis. With concern for a possible pre-malignant lesion, the patient underwent a laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy, which revealed a 16 cm × 12 cm × 4 cm lesion. Final histopathology was consistent with an intra-pancreatic endometrial cyst. Here we discuss the overlapping imaging and laboratory features of pancreatic endometrial cysts and mucinous cystic neoplasms of the pancreas.
authors.affiliation: Michael A Mederos, Nicole Villafañe, Amy McElhany, William E Fisher, George Van Buren II, Department of General Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mederos
authors.affiliation: Michael A Mederos, Nicole Villafañe, Amy McElhany, William E Fisher, George Van Buren II, Department of General Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Villafañe
authors.affiliation: Michael A Mederos, Nicole Villafañe, Amy McElhany, William E Fisher, George Van Buren II, Department of General Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Sadhna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dhingra
authors.affiliation: Michael A Mederos, Nicole Villafañe, Amy McElhany, William E Fisher, George Van Buren II, Department of General Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Farinas
authors.affiliation: Michael A Mederos, Nicole Villafañe, Amy McElhany, William E Fisher, George Van Buren II, Department of General Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McElhany
authors.affiliation: Michael A Mederos, Nicole Villafañe, Amy McElhany, William E Fisher, George Van Buren II, Department of General Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: Michael A Mederos, Nicole Villafañe, Amy McElhany, William E Fisher, George Van Buren II, Department of General Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Buren Ii
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000681:Amylases / Q000032:analysis; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications*; D019160:Endosonography; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D018297:Neoplasms, Cystic, Mucinous, and Serous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000379:methods; D010181:Pancreatic Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications*; D013156:Splenectomy / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D000681:Amylases
keywords: Distal pancreatectomy; Endometriosis; Mucinous cystic neoplasm of the pancreas; Pancreatic cyst; Pancreatic endometrial cyst