Pancreatic cancer other imaging findings

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Parminder Dhingra, M.D. [2]

Overview

ERCP and PTC are other imaging techniques that can be used to diagnose pancreatic cancer.

ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) — An endoscope is passed through the patient’s mouth and stomach, down into the first part of the small intestine. Then a smaller tube (catheter) is slipped through the endoscope into the bile and pancreatic ducts. After injecting dye through the catheter into the ducts, x-ray images are taken. The x-rays show whether the ducts are narrowed due to a tumor or any other condition.^[1]^[2]^[3]

PTC (percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography) — A dye is injected through a thin needle inserted through the skin into the liver. Under normal conditions the dye moves freely through the bile ducts and shows up on x-ray. Blockage is visible on the X ray and can help detect the underlying pathology.^[4]

↑ Husband, Janet E.; Meire, H. B.; Kreel, L. (1977). “Comparison of ultrasound and computer-assisted tomography in pancreatic diagnosis”. The British Journal of Radiology. 50 (600): 855–862. doi:10.1259/0007-1285-50-600-855. ISSN 0007-1285.
↑ Freeny, Patrick C.; Ball, Terrence J. (1978). “Rapid Diagnosis of Pancreatic Carcinoma”. Radiology. 127 (3): 627–633. doi:10.1148/127.3.627. ISSN 0033-8419.
↑ Moon, Young Myoung; Kim, Won Ho; Shin, Sung Tae; Chon, Chae Yoon; Lee, Sang In; Kang, Jin Kyung; Park, In Suh; Choi, Heung Jai (1986). “A Study of 122 Cases of Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosed by Endoscopic Retrograde CholangiopancreatographvERCP”. The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine. 1 (2): 131–140. doi:10.3904/kjim.1986.1.2.131. ISSN 1226-3303.
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