IRM et maladies pancréatiques

Ansa pancreatica: a rare cause of acute recurrent pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas that can be caused in rare situations by ansa pancreatica, it is a rare anatomic variation of the pancreatic ducts. It is a communication between the main pancreatic duct (Wirsung) and the accessory pancreatic duct (Santorini). We report a case of the patient, in a 44-year-old, non-alcoholic, hospitalized for acute pancreatitis stage C of Baltazar. A magnetic resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) was performed which showed a gallstone and ansa pancreatica, than an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) revealed an ansa pancreatica with a common bile duct clear, a sphincterotomy of the major papilla was performed. It is still not clear whether the presence of these two pathologies is a coincidence or if the ansa pancreatica is the cause of acute pancreatitis. New studies are necessary to clarify these points.

[Pancreatic pseudocyst in children: about 7 cases]

Le pseudokyste du pancréas est une affection bénigne, rare, en particulier chez l'enfant. Ce sont des collections de suc pancréatique, dépourvues de revêtement épithélial, et dont la localisation peut être intra ou extra pancréatique. Nous rapportons une étude rétrospective de 7 enfants colligés au service de chirurgie pédiatrique du centre hospitalier universitaire Hassan II de Fès, durant une période de 11 ans, allant du 1^erjanvier 2005 au 31 décembre 2016. Tous les enfants étaient de sexe masculin, l'âge moyen était de 6,6 ans (15 mois-12 ans). Un antécédent de traumatisme abdominal était retrouvé dans 4 cas, le ballonnement abdominal, la douleur, les vomissements et les troubles du transit étaient les principaux motifs de consultation. L'examen clinique retrouvait chez tous les enfants une sensibilité épigastrique et une altération de l'état général, l'échographie abdominale et le scanner abdominal réalisés respectivement ont permis de poser le diagnostic de pseudo kyste du pancréas avant l'intervention chirurgicale. Six malades sur sept ont été opérés ; Nous avons opté pour la dérivation interne (anastomose gastro-kystique) dans 4 cas, une dérivation externe dans 2 cas, et l'abstention thérapeutique dans le dernier cas. Les Pseudo kystes du pancréas sont des affections rares, néanmoins, ils sont de loin les plus fréquents (80% des lésions kystiques du pancréas étant des pseudo kystes, et sont la conséquence d'une pancréatite aigüe et/ou chronique, d'un traumatisme pancréatique, ou d'une obstruction canalaire pancréatique.

Adult bile duct strictures: role of MR imaging and MR cholangiopancreatography in characterization

Bile duct strictures in adults are secondary to a wide spectrum of benign and malignant pathologic conditions. Benign causes of bile duct strictures include iatrogenic causes, acute or chronic pancreatitis, choledocholithiasis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis, liver transplantation, recurrent pyogenic cholangitis, Mirizzi syndrome, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome cholangiopathy, and sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. Malignant causes include cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and periampullary carcinomas. Rare causes include biliary inflammatory pseudotumor, gallbladder carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, metastases to bile ducts, and extrinsic bile duct compression secondary to periportal or peripancreatic lymphadenopathy. Contrast material-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with MR cholangiopancreatography is extremely helpful in the noninvasive evaluation of patients with obstructive jaundice, an obstructive pattern of liver function, or incidentally detected biliary duct dilatation. Some of these conditions may show characteristic findings at MR imaging-MR cholangiopancreatography that help in making a definitive diagnosis. Although endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with tissue biopsy or surgery is needed for the definitive diagnosis of many of these strictures, certain MR imaging characteristics of the narrowed segment (eg, thickened wall, long-segment involvement, asymmetry, indistinct outer margin, luminal irregularity, hyperenhancement relative to the liver parenchyma) may favor a malignant cause. Awareness of the various causes of bile duct strictures in adults and familiarity with their appearances at MR imaging-MR cholangiopancreatography are important for accurate diagnosis and optimal patient management.

Role of endoscopic ultrasound in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) with or without fine needle aspiration has become the main technique for evaluating pancreatobiliary disorders and has proved to have a higher diagnostic yield than positron emission tomography, computed tomography (CT) and transabdominal ultrasound for recognising early pancreatic tumors. As a diagnostic modality for pancreatic cancer, EUS has proved rates higher than 90%, especially for lesions less than 2-3 cm in size in which it reaches a sensitivity rate of 99% vs 55% for CT. Besides, EUS has a very high negative predictive value and thus EUS can reliably exclude pancreatic cancer. The complication rate of EUS is as low as 1.1%-3.0%. New technical developments such as elastography and the use of contrast agents have recently been applied to EUS, improving its diagnostic capability. EUS has been found to be superior to the recent multidetector CT for T staging with less risk of overstaying in comparison to both CT and magnetic resonance imaging, so that patients are not being ruled out of a potentially beneficial resection. The accuracy for N staging with EUS is 64%-82%. In unresectable cancers, EUS also plays a therapeutic role by means of treating oncological pain through celiac plexus block, biliary drainage in obstructive jaundice in patients where endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is not affordable and aiding radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

The usefulness of (18)F-FDG PET/MRI fusion image in diagnosing pancreatic tumor: comparison with (18)F-FDG PET/CT

PURPOSE

This study aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of retrospectively fused (18)F FDG-PET and MRI (PET/MRI fusion image) in diagnosing pancreatic tumor, in particular differentiating malignant tumor from benign lesions. In addition, we evaluated additional findings characterizing pancreatic lesions by FDG-PET/MRI fusion image.

METHODS

We analyzed retrospectively 119 patients: 96 cancers and 23 benign lesions. FDG-PET/MRI fusion images (PET/T1 WI or PET/T2WI) were made by dedicated software using 1.5 Tesla (T) MRI image and FDG-PET images. These images were interpreted by two well-trained radiologists without knowledge of clinical information and compared with FDG-PET/CT images. We compared the differential diagnostic capability between PET/CT and FDG-PET/MRI fusion image. In addition, we evaluated additional findings such as tumor structure and tumor invasion.

RESULTS

FDG-PET/MRI fusion image significantly improved accuracy compared with that of PET/CT (96.6 vs. 86.6 %). As additional finding, dilatation of main pancreatic duct was noted in 65.9 % of solid types and in 22.6 % of cystic types, on PET/MRI-T2 fusion image. Similarly, encasement of adjacent vessels was noted in 43.1 % of solid types and in 6.5 % of cystic types. Particularly in cystic types, intra-tumor structures such as mural nodule (35.4 %) or intra-cystic septum (74.2 %) were detected additionally. Besides, PET/MRI-T2 fusion image could detect extra benign cystic lesions (9.1 % in solid type and 9.7 % in cystic type) that were not noted by PET/CT.

CONCLUSIONS

In diagnosing pancreatic lesions, FDG-PET/MRI fusion image was useful in differentiating pancreatic cancer from benign lesions. Furthermore, it was helpful in evaluating relationship between lesions and surrounding tissues as well as in detecting extra benign cysts.

Annular pancreas intra operatively discovered: a case report

Annular pancreas is a rare congenital abnormality. This entity can rarely be symptomatic. Patients can present with gastrointestinal obstruction or acute pancreatitis. We report a case with a rich iconography, of an annular pancreas discovered intraoperatively. A 46-year-old woman was operated with the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis with common bile duct stones. At operation, a strip of pancreatic tissue (2 cm) completely encircled the second duodenum. Open cholecytectomy with choledocotomy and stones extractionwas done. Postoperatively, she developed an acute pancreatitis. The post-operative cholangiography showed the annular duct surrounding the second duodenum. Annular pancreas is rare. Symptoms may occur in newborn children. In adults, annular pancreas discovering is radiological or intra operatively.

Italian consensus guidelines for chronic pancreatitis

This paper gives practical guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis. Statements have been elaborated by working teams of experts, by searching for and analysing the literature, and submitted to a consensus process by using a Delphi modified procedure. The statements report recommendations on clinical and nutritional approach, assessment of pancreatic function, treatment of exocrine pancreatic failure and of secondary diabetes, treatment of pain and prevention of painful relapses. Moreover, the role of endoscopy in approaching pancreatic pain, pancreatic stones, duct narrowing and dilation, and complications was considered. Recommendations for most appropriate use of various imaging techniques and of ultrasound endoscopy are reported. Finally, a group of recommendations are addressed to the surgical treatment, with definition of right indications, timing, most appropriate procedures and techniques in different clinical conditions and targets, and clinical and functional outcomes following surgery.