Radiological description of cystic pancreatic tumors

Although most cystic pancreatic lesions are pseudocysts, it is important to do a thorough differential diagnosis with true cystic tumors because cystic tumors are potentially malignant. Sometimes computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging cannot establish the definitive diagnosis, making it necessary to perform other imaging tests such as endoscopic ultrasound, which in addition to morphological information, can also enable cytologic and biochemical analysis of the lesion through puncture and aspiration of its contents. Combining all these findings nearly always provides enough diagnostic information to allow the appropriate approach in each case. This article describes the specific morphological characteristics for each cystic pancreatic tumor on computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and endoscopic ultrasound and reviews the guidelines for managing these types of lesions.