title: Contour variations of the body and tail of the pancreas: evaluation with MDCT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze morphology/contour variations of the pancreatic body and tail in subjects free of pancreatic disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed triple-phase, contrast-enhanced multi-detector row computed tomography (3P-CE-MDCT) examinations of 449 patients who had no clinical or CT evidence of pancreatic diseases. These patients were evaluated for morphologic/contour variations of the pancreatic body and tail, which were classified into two types. In Type I, a portion of normal pancreatic parenchyma protrudes >1 cm in maximum diameter from the body or tail (Ia-anteriorly; Ib-posteriorly). Type II was defined as a morphologic anomaly of the pancreatic tail (IIa-globular; IIb-lobulated; IIc-tapered; IId-bifid).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-eight (8.5%) out of 449 patients had body or tail variations. Of those, 23 patients showed Type I variant: Ia in 21 and Ib in two. Type II variant was identified in 15 patients: IIa in eight, IIb in two, IIc in two and IId in three. Protrusion of the anterior surface of the normal pancreas, especially in the tail, was the most frequently occurring variant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recognizing the types and subtypes of morphology/contour variations of the pancreatic body and tail could help prevent misinterpretation of normal variants as pancreatic tumors on unenhanced MDCT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu, Oita Prefecture, 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: Ahmad Khalid
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Omeri
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu, Oita Prefecture, 879-5593, Japan. matsushu@oita-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shunro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu, Oita Prefecture, 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiyonaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu, Oita Prefecture, 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takaji
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu, Oita Prefecture, 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasunari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu, Oita Prefecture, 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kosen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu, Oita Prefecture, 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Medical Informatics, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Oita, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyake
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007479:Iopamidol; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D007479:Iopamidol
keywords: Anomaly; Body; Multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT); Pancreas; Tail