摘要
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 andmalignant 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.
Chronic pancreatitis increases the risk of developingpancreatic cancer. This often presents as a mass lesionin the head of pancreas. Mass lesion in the head ofpancreas can also occur secondary to an inflammatorylesion. Recognising this is crucial to avoid unnecessarysurgery. This is sometimes difficult as there is an overlapin clinical presentation and conventional computedtomography （CT） abdomen findings in inflammatory andmalignant mass. Advances in imaging technologies likeendoscopic ultrasound in conjunction with techniqueslike fine needle aspiration, contrast enhancement andelastography as well as multidetector row CT, magneticresonance imaging and positron emission tomographyscanning have been shown to help in distinguishinginflammatory and malignant mass. Research is ongoingto develop molecular techniques to help characterisefocal pancreatic mass lesions. This paper reviews thecurrent status of imaging and molecular techniquesin differentiating a benign mass lesion in chronicpancreatitis and from malignancy.
