False-Positive PET/CT After Cyanoacrylate Sealing of a Pancreaticojejunostomy

PET/CT Variants and Pitfalls in Liver, Biliary Tract, Gallbladder and Pancreas

A wide variety of pathological anomalies may occur in the liver, biliary system, and pancreas. It is a necessity to use many different imaging techniques in order to distinguish such varied pathologies, especially those from malignant processes. Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) is an imaging method that has proven its diagnostic value in oncology and can be used for different clinical purposes. Fluoro-18 fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose has a wide range of uses as a dominant radiopharmaceutical in routine molecular imaging, however, molecular imaging has started to play a more important role in personalized cancer treatment in recent years with new Fluoro-18 and Gallium-68 labeled tracers. Although molecular imaging has a strong diagnostic effect, the surprises and pitfalls of molecular imaging can lead us to unexpected and misleading results. Prior to PET/CT analysis and reporting, information about possible technical and physiological pitfalls, normal histological features of tissues, inflammatory pathologies, specific clinical features of the case, treatment-related complications and past treatments should be evaluated in advance to avoid misinterpretation. In this review, the physiological and pathophysiological variants as well as pitfalls encountered in PET/CT imaging of the liver, biliary tract, gallbladder, and pancreas will be examined. Other benign and malignant pathologies that have been reported to date and that have led to incorrect evaluation will be listed. It is expected that the devices, software, and artificial intelligence applications that will be developed in the near future will enable much more effective and faster imaging that will reduce the potential causes of error. However, as a result of the dynamic and evolving structure of the information obtained by molecular imaging, the inclusion of the newly developed radiopharmaceuticals in routine practice will continue to carry new potentials as well as new troubles. Although molecular imaging will be the flagship of diagnostic oncology in the 21st century, the correct analysis and interpretation by the physician will continue to form the basis of achieving optimal performance.

Sealing with Cyanoacrylate and a Falciform Patch Cannot Prevent Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a new combined method of covering the pancreatic anastomosis or stump with a cyanoacrylate and a falciform patch (CAFP) on the occurrence of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF).

METHODS

Patients undergoing a pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) or a distal pancreatectomy (DP) were recruited over a period of 12 months. The pancreaticojejunostomy in PD and the stump in DP were sealed with cyanoacrylate glue and wrapped in a falciform patch. Incidence and severity of POPF and associated postoperative complications were retrospectively compared with historical controls of 750 PD and 336 DP at the same institution and with current data from the literature.

RESULTS

The new method was applied in 27 PD and 25 DP. The rate of clinically relevant POPF after PD with CAFP was 22.2% compared to 14.4% in historical patients, p = 0.26. The rate of clinically relevant POPF after DP with CAFP was 36% compared to 30% in historical patients, p = 0.65.

CONCLUSION

Sealing the pancreatic anastomosis or stump with a combination of a cyanoacrylate glue and a falciform patch didn't reduce the rate of POPF after major pancreatic resections.

Imaging findings of recurrent pancreatic cancer following resection

Pancreatic cancer is a challenging malignancy to treat, largely due to aggressive regional involvement, early systemic dissemination, high recurrence rate, and subsequent low patient survival. Generally, 15-20% of newly diagnosed pancreatic cancers are candidates for possible curative resection. Eighty percent of these patients, however, will experience locoregional or distant recurrence in first 2 years. Although there is no strong evidence-based guideline for optimal surveillance after pancreatic cancer resection, careful comparison of surveillance follow-up multi-detector CT (MDCT) studies with a postoperative baseline MDCT examination aids detection of early recurrent pancreatic cancer. In this review article, we describe imaging findings suggestive of recurrent pancreatic cancer and review routine and alternative imaging options.