J Comput Assist Tomogr , Volume 33, Number 5, September/October 2009
Yong Eun Chung, MD, Myeong-Jin Kim, MD, Jin-Young Choi, MD, Joon Seok Lim, MD, Hye-Suk Hong, MD, Young Chul Kim, MD, Hyeon Je Cho, MD, Kyung Ah Kim, MD, and Sun Young Choi, MD
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate differential imaging features between benign and malignant solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPN) of the pancreas on computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imagings.
Methods: Between January 2001 and January 2007, we identified 30 patients with confirmed SPN by surgery. The computed tomographic and magnetic resonance images were reviewed by 3 radiologists in consensus. Each tumor was analyzed for the following categories: location of tumor, tumor margin, proportion of solid component, morphology of capsule, growth pattern, calcification, and presence of upstream pancre¬atic ductal dilatation.
Results: Benign SPN usually had oval/round or smoothly lobulated margins, and malignant SPN more commonly had focal lobulated mar¬gins (P = 0.027). Presence of complete encapsulation was more fre¬quently seen in benign SPN, whereas focal discontinuity of capsule was more commonly seen in malignant SPN (P = 0.005). There was no statistical difference between benign and malignant tumors in other imaging findings.
Conclusions: A focal lobulated margin and a focal discontinuity of the capsule may suggest malignant SPN, whereas a round or smoothly lobulated margin and a complete encapsulation were more commonly seen in benign SPN.