[Differential diagnosis between pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and chronic pancreatitis with thin slice table...

Thin slice table incremental CE-CT was performed on 18 patients considered to have pancreatic carcinoma, 13 patients with chronic pancreatitis, and 19 patients with a normal pancreas. Each patient underwent precontrast CT scanning and delayed scanning. Computed tomography was performed with a high-speed scanner, a TCT 900s. First, precontrast CT scanning was initiated at the level of the top of the right diaphragm, and the scan sequence was performed to include the liver and pancreas at contiguous 10 mm intervals. Second, a bolus of 50-60 mL of 300 mgI/mL iopamidol was delivered intravenously by hand injection via a peripheral arm vein, and subsequent injections were administered during table incrementation with 2-second interscan delay, and the scan sequence was obtained at contiguous 5 mm intervals with a scan speed of 1-second. Delayed scanning was performed 1-2 minutes later after 12 images had been obtained by thin slice table incremental CE-CT scanning. The average CT numbers were calculated for each lesion by precontrast CT scanning, thin slice table incremental CE-CT scanning, and delayed scanning. For the patients with pancreatic carcinoma, the average CT numbers were 41.6HU +/- 6.4HU, 69.6HU +/- 10.4HU, and 86.2HU +/- 14.7HU by precontrast CT scanning, thin slice table incremental CE-CT scanning, and delayed scanning, respectively. While for the patients with chronic pancreatitis, the average CT numbers were 50.0HU +/- 5.0HU, 94.3HU +/- 13.3HU, and 82.5HU +/- 11.6HU, respectively, and for those with a normal pancreas, the average CT numbers were 51.3HU +/- 5.7HU, 93.5HU +/- 7.6HU, and 82.0HU +/- 11.6HU, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)