CT evaluation of vascular invasion in pancreatic carcinoma

Abstract

Pre-operative CT findings of eight cases of pancreatic carcinoma were compared with the angiographic and operative findings. The vascular invasion of the celiac artery, superior mesenteric artery, portal vein and superior mesenteric vein in CT findings was defined as non-visualization and deformity of the vessels and the indistinctness of the perivascular fatty plane. The accuracy of CT diagnosis was 87.5%. In one case of superior mesenteric arterial invasion, diagnosed by CT and confirmed by surgery, had no evidence of invasion by angiography. CT appears useful for evaluating major vascular invasion in pancreatic carcinoma. Pre-operative accuracy may be improved when angiographic and CT findings are combined.