Contrast-enhanced transabdominal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of pancreatic mass lesions.

PURPOSE

In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic usefulness of contrast-enhanced transabdominal ultrasonography (CE-US) in pancreatic mass lesions that could be detected by US.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

CE-US was performed in 37 patients with various pancreatic mass lesions to evaluate the characteristic vascular findings.

RESULTS

Pancreatic tubular adenocarcinoma showed negative enhancement pattern in 16 cases and a slight spotty enhancement pattern in 5 cases. Poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma showed slight homogeneous enhancement pattern in 1 case and acinar cell carcinoma was expressed as a heterogeneous enhancement pattern in 3 cases on CE-US. Endocrine cell tumor had a strong homogeneous enhancement pattern in 3 cases, a strong central enhancement in 1 case and a strong peripheral enhancement in 2 cases. Pseudotumorous pancreatitis showed an iso-enhancement pattern in 6 cases.

CONCLUSION

CE-US is useful in evaluating the vascularity of the lesions in various pancreatic mass lesions in real-time images, and may be useful for the differential diagnosis of pancreatic mass lesions.