MRI of pancreatic tumors

MRI employing current imaging techniques is able to detect various pancreatic tumors well, and is able to stage and characterize tumors accurately. This review article describes various current MR techniques emphasizing breath hold spoiled gradient echo (SGE) imaging, fat suppression, dynamic gadolinium administration and MR cholangiographic techniques. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas are generally low signal intensity on T1-weighted and T2-weighted images and enhance poorly on immediate post gadolinium SGE images. Islet cell tumors are generally low signal intensity on T1-weighted images, high signal intensity on T2-weighted images and enhance intensely on immediate post gadolinium images. The appearances of less common tumors is also described.