Small pancreatic adenocarcinomas: efficacy of MR imaging with fat suppression and gadolinium enhancement.

PURPOSE

To compare the efficacy of fat-suppressed T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and dynamic MR imaging in the diagnosis of small pancreatic adenocarcinomas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pancreatic adenocarcinomas in 15 patients were evaluated with dynamic computed tomography (CT) and five MR imaging sequences that included fat-suppressed T1-weighted technique and dynamic multiplanar gradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state technique.

RESULTS

The difference in contrast-to-noise ratios between tumor and normal pancreas was significantly different (P < .05) between the five MR imaging sequences used. In six patients, the combination of dynamic MR imaging and fat-suppressed imaging was superior to dynamic CT in the detection of tumors. Tumors accompanied by chronic pancreatitis were less distinct on fat-suppressed images but were clearly visible on dynamic MR images. Peripancreatic extension of tumors was better recognized on T1-weighted images and CT scans than on fat-suppressed images.

CONCLUSION

Fat-suppressed T1-weighted images and dynamic MR images were useful in the detection of pancreatic carcinomas. T1-weighted images and CT scans were superior in the evaluation of tumor extension.