Head mass in chronic pancreatitis: Inflammatory or malignant

World Journal of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Amit K Dutta, Ashok Chacko

Abstract

Chronic pancreatitis increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. This often presents as a mass lesion in the head of pancreas. Mass lesion in the head of pancreas can also occur secondary to an inflammatory lesion. Recognising this is crucial to avoid unnecessary surgery. This is sometimes difficult as there is an overlap in clinical presentation and conventional computed tomography (CT) abdomen findings in inflammatory and malignant mass. Advances in imaging technologies like endoscopic ultrasound in conjunction with techniques like fine needle aspiration, contrast enhancement and elastography as well as multidetector row CT, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography scanning have been shown to help in distinguishing inflammatory and malignant mass. Research is ongoing to develop molecular techniques to help characterise focal pancreatic mass lesions. This paper reviews the current status of imaging and molecular techniques in differentiating a benign mass lesion in chronic pancreatitis and from malignancy.

Citations

Aug 30, 2017·Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine : Official Journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine·Yanjie WangWei Wu
Jul 25, 2020·Cancer Imaging : the Official Publication of the International Cancer Imaging Society·Wolfgang SchimaHelmut Kopf
May 19, 2021·Der Radiologe·Antonia KristicAhmed Ba-Ssalamah

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