• A J Momtahen, N C Balci, S Alkaade, E I Akduman, and F R Burton.
• Department of Radiology, St. Louis University Hospitals, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. ncbalci@gmail.com
• Acta Radiol. 2008 Jun 1; 49 (5): 490-7.

BackgroundFocal pancreatitis (FP) is a confined inflammation that mimics a pancreatic mass. Its imaging diagnosis is important to avoid unnecessary procedures.PurposeTo describe the spectrum of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) findings of focal pancreatitis mimicking pancreatic masses.Material And MethodsFindings of MRI/MRCP including DWI with a b value of 0 and 600 s/mm(2) in 14 patients with pancreatic masses on MRI were retrospectively reviewed and compared to normal pancreas in 14 patients as a control group.ResultsFP revealed hypointense signal intensity (SI) (3/14), hypo- to isointense SI (7/14), or isointense SI (4/14) on T1-weighted images, and hypointense SI (1/14), isointense SI (5/14), iso- to hyperintense SI (7/14), or hyperintense SI (1/14) on T2-weighted images compared to remaining pancreas (RP). MRCP images revealed dilatation of the common bile duct (CBD) and main pancreatic duct (MPD) (5/14), dilatation of the MPD only (3/14), dilatation of the CBD only (3/14), and normal MPD and CBD (3/14). Both FP and RP revealed three types of time-signal intensity curves: 1) rapid rise to a peak, with a rapid decline (FP=2, RP=4), 2) slow rise to a peak, followed by a slow decline (FP=5, RP=4), and 3) slower rise to a peak, with a slow decline or plateau (FP=7, RP=6). Mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values for FP and RP were 2.09+/-0.18 and 2.03+/-0.2 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s, respectively. ADC values of FP and RP revealed no significant difference.ConclusionThe spectrum of imaging findings of focal pancreatitis on MRI/MRCP including DWI was described. Findings of FP were not distinctive as compared to the remaining pancreas.

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