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Updated: Sep 4, 2025

Multimodality Diagnosis of Mesenteric Ischemia
Published on: July 21, 2023
CT features associated with underlying malignancy in patients with diagnosed mesenteric panniculitis
Jules Grégory1, Jérémy Dana2, Isaac Yang3
1Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France; Department of Radiology, Beaujon Hospital, APHP.Nord, 92110 Clichy, France; INSERM, UMR1153, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Sorbonne Paris Cité Center (CRESS), METHODS team, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, F-75004, Paris, France; Department of Radiology, McGill University, Montreal H3G 1A4, QC, Canada.
Computed tomography (CT) features can help identify malignancy in patients with mesenteric panniculitis (MP). A soft-tissue nodule greater than 10 mm or lymphadenopathy suggests further workup for cancer is needed.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Oncology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Mesenteric panniculitis (MP) is a rare condition characterized by chronic inflammation of the mesentery.
- Distinguishing MP from malignancy can be challenging, necessitating the identification of specific imaging features.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify computed tomography (CT) features indicative of underlying malignancy in patients diagnosed with mesenteric panniculitis (MP).
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of patients with MP and abdominopelvic CT follow-up.
- Two radiologists reviewed CT scans for MP features, blinded to medical records.
- Malignancy details were extracted, and an expert panel assessed the association between MP and cancer.
Main Results:
- Of 444 patients, 34 (8%) developed new malignancies; 5 (1%) were possibly related to MP (low-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas).
- CT features associated with malignancy included MP soft-tissue nodules >10 mm or lymphadenopathy in other abdominopelvic regions.
- The combination of these features demonstrated high diagnostic performance (sensitivity 100%, specificity 99%).
Conclusions:
- Further investigation for malignancy is warranted in patients with MP exhibiting a soft-tissue nodule >10 mm.
- Associated abdominopelvic lymphadenopathy is another key indicator for malignancy workup in MP patients.
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