Diagnostic imaging of cystic pancreatic neoplasms

Cystic pancreatic neoplasms are being diagnosed with growing frequency due to improving imaging technologies and increasing clinician awareness. Distinguishing cystic neoplasms from pseudocysts and discriminating among the various cystic neoplasms is essential to appropriate management. The backbone of diagnosis of these tumors continues to be cross-sectional imaging by CT and MRI. Despite refinements in technology and significant progress in characterizing these lesions, the overall accuracy of CT and MR is limited. EUS, especially as means of FNA, will have an increasing role in the evaluation of selected cases as experience grows. No radiologic investigation can reliably distinguish cystic neoplasms from pseudocysts nor differentiate among cystic neoplasms in all cases. For uncertain lesions, surgeons should favor either careful observation with serial imaging or surgical resection.