Non-Neoplastic Masses of the Pancreas

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology and Hepatology
• Cytopathology
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Benign non-neoplastic solid pancreatic lesions encompass diverse entities like pancreatitis, intrapancreatic spleen, and abscesses.
• Distinguishing these from pancreatic neoplasms is crucial, as imaging findings can be misleading due to overlapping features.
• While typical pancreatitis is clinically distinct, uncommon variants can mimic malignant masses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the cytopathologic findings of various benign solid pancreatic lesions.
• To highlight key cytological features, ancillary studies, and differential diagnoses.
• To emphasize the importance of correlating cytopathology with radiographic and clinical findings for accurate diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Review of cytopathologic findings for entities including acute, chronic, autoimmune, and groove pancreatitis.
• Inclusion of other solid lesions such as intrapancreatic accessory spleen and abscess.
• Discussion of cytological features, ancillary tests, and differential diagnostic considerations.

Main Results:

• Cytopathology plays a vital role in identifying benign pancreatic lesions.
• Specific cytological features aid in differentiating various types of pancreatitis and other non-neoplastic masses.
• Correlation with imaging and clinical presentation is essential for accurate preoperative diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• Accurate diagnosis of benign pancreatic lesions requires a multidisciplinary approach integrating cytopathology, imaging, and clinical information.
• Understanding the cytopathologic spectrum of these lesions is key to avoiding misdiagnosis as malignancy.
• This review provides a framework for the cytopathologic evaluation of solid pancreatic lesions.