[CT in the evaluation of carcinoma of the pancreas]

The routine use of CT has given a great contribution both to the diagnosis and to the evaluation of the extent of pancreatic carcinomas. Forty-three patients clinically suspected of pancreatic carcinoma were examined with CT. Forty of them underwent surgical control. This study was conducted to evaluate the role of CT in the diagnosing and staging of pancreatic carcinomas. 31/43 neoplasms were identified, with a diagnostic accuracy of 90%. CT was extremely accurate in the demonstration of late metastases, while it had lower accuracy in assessing the involvement of lymph nodes and peripancreatic vessels (60-70%). CT proved to be extremely useful in diagnosing pancreatic carcinomas, for it allows the detection of masses associated with Wirsung's duct dilatation and atrophy, which are a highly pathognomonic sign of pancreatic neoplasms. Moreover, CT proved useful in the staging, by assessing the presence of lymph nodes and metastases.