Pancreas CT Appearances
Autoimmune Pancreatitis CT Findings
- Diffuse glandular enlargement with a “sausage” shape
- Loss of lobular texture
- Homogeneously iso- or hypoattenuating parenchyma
- Decreased attenuation during arterial phase imaging
- Diffuse or segmental narrowing of pancreatic duct
- Roughly half of patients have parenchymal enlargement while other patients may have focal enlargement
- May have capsule-like rim with “halo” around gland
Other Information About Autoimmune Pancreatitis
Types:
- Type 1 AIP affects multiple organs around the pancreas.
- Type 2 AIP affects only the pancreas.
Etiology:
- Unknown
Epidemiology:
- Most common in middle aged patients and those over age 60
- Slight male predominance
Presentation:
- Typically asymptomatic
- Jaundice
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Weight loss
Prognosis:
- AIP is most often treated with steroids
- Can be confused at presentation with pancreatic cancer
Related Pearls: Autoimmune pancreatitis
Related Lectures:
MDCT of Pancreatic Cancer: State-of-the-Art 2020-2021 Part 3
Missed Diagnosis in Abdominal CT: Strategies and Pitfalls - Part 4
The Future of Imaging Pancreatic Cancer: From Cinematic Rendering to Radiomics to Deep Learning - Part 2
Missed Diagnosis in Body CT: Pearls and Pitfalls 2023 - Part 5