[Magnetic resonance imaging features of pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma: a literature review].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) manifestations of pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (PNC).

METHODS

The clinical data of 7 PNC patients as confirmed by pathological examination were analyzed retrospectively and the relevant literatures discussed.

RESULTS

Among them, 2 patients were misdiagnosed for benign tumor lesion, one for SPT and another for pancreatic cancer with liver metastasis. And 3 were diagnosed correctly. The lesions showed irregular or lobulated shapes: 5 in body and tail of pancreas and 2 in head of pancreas. All lesions were hypointense on T(1)WI. They were iso- to slightly hyperintense (n = 5) and heterogeneously hyperintense (n = 2) on T(2)WI. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI was performed in all. There were slight enhancement (n = 2) and moderate enhancement (n = 5) during arterial phase. During interstitial and delayed phases, there were gradual enhancement (n = 2) and less enhancement (n = 5) than pancreatic parenchyma. There were metastasis of lymph nodes (n = 1), splenic metastasis (n = 2), liver metastasis (n = 1) and invasion of pancreatic capsule (n = 3).

CONCLUSION

Due to the lack of MRI specificities, a definite diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma must be made by pathological examination and immunohistochemistry.