Clinical and CT imaging features of pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma

This study was undertaken to analyse the clinical characteristics and computed tomography (CT) imaging features of patients with pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma and to clarify characteristic imaging features.

Clinical and CT imaging records of ten patients with pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma (three women and seven men; mean age, 58 years) examined using multidetector CT scanners were retrospectively studied. CT features emphasised included lesion location, size, shape, margin, solid or cystic component, density and enhancement. Imaging results were correlated with intraoperative surgical and pathological results.

Lesions were distributed throughout the pancreatic head (n=3), body (n=3), tail (n=2) and both body and tail (n=2). The average diameter was 6.1 cm, varying from 2.3 cm to 15.8 cm. The tumours were round or oval (n=7) or lobular (n=3). Seven tumours appeared as enhanced solid pancreatic masses, with the large masses having hypodense areas; three had >75 % cystic component; seven (70%), including four solid and three cystic masses, had well-circumscribed or partially well-defined thin, enhanced encapsulation. After contrast injection, the masses presented heterogeneous enhancement.

Acinar cell carcinoma should always be considered when a large pancreatic mass with typical imaging is found in solid masses with variably sized central cystic areas or cystic masses.