Involvement of superior mesenteric vessels and portal vein in pancreatic adenocarcinoma: detection with CT during arterial portography.

A prospective study was designed to determine the utility of computed tomography (CT) during arterial portography (CTAP) in the detection of superior mesenteric vessels and portal vein involvement in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Eighteen patients with adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas and eight patients with benign pancreatic disease were investigated with CTAP, dynamic contrast-enhanced CT, and angiography. Appropriate review was made to determine presence or absence of superior mesenteric vessels and portal vein involvement. Final diagnosis was obtained in all cases by surgical explorations. The overall accuracy rate for detecting or excluding superior mesenteric vessels and portal vein involvement was 96% (25 of 26 patients) with CTAP, 88% (23 of 26 patients) with dynamic contrast-enhanced CT, and 85% (22 of 26 patients) with angiography. No statistically significant difference in accuracy was found among the three techniques. Our results suggest that the use of CTAP is not indicated in the preoperative detection of superior mesenteric vessels and portal vein involvement in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.