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Updated: May 23, 2026
Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging of an Orthotopic Pancreatic Cancer Mouse Model
Published on: April 18, 2015
Imaging features of small (≤ 3 cm) pancreatic solid tumors on gadoxetic-acid-enhanced MR imaging and
Kyung Mi Jang1, Seong Hyun Kim, Young Kon Kim
1Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50, Ilwon-Dong, Seoul 135-710, South Korea.
Objective:
The objective was to determine imaging features that distinguish small (≤3cm) solid pancreatic adenocarcinoma, neuroendocrine tumor (NET) and solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) on gadoxetic-acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion-weighed imaging (DWI).
Materials And Methods:
Twenty-four adenocarcinomas, 10 NETs and 8 SPTs were retrospectively included. Two radiologists analyzed morphologic features, signal intensity of the tumors on MR images including DWI (b=800) and dynamic enhancement pattern with consensus. Tumor-to-parenchyma ratio and tumor apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) were quantitatively assessed.
Results:
All adenocarcinomas had an ill-defined margin and irregular shape, and more frequently had pancreatic duct dilatation compared with other tumors (P<.05). All SPTs and all but one of the adenocarcinomas (95.8%) had no arterial enhancement with progressively increased enhancement, whereas seven NETs (70%) had arterial enhancement with progressively decreased enhancement (P<.01). The mean value of tumor-to-parenchyma ratio on arterial and portal phases was significantly higher for NETs, and the mean value of tumor ADCs was significantly lower for SPTs than for other tumors (P<.05).
Conclusions:
Gadoxetic-acid-enhanced MRI may aid in differentiation between small adenocarcinomas, NETs and SPTs based on morphologic features with dynamic enhancement pattern in adenocarcinomas, dynamic enhancement pattern with tumor-to-parenchyma ration on arterial and portal phases in NETs, and dynamic enhancement pattern with lower ADC value in SPTs.
