Learning objectives
- Highlight the imaging features of congenital anomalies and normal variants of the pancreatobiliary tract with contemporary imaging techniques.
Background
INTRODUCTION
A wide spectrum of anomalies in the pancreas,
the pancreatic ductal system,
and biliary tree are not infrequently and are commonly encountered at radiologic examinations.
May create a diagnostic challenge and not be detected until adulthood,
often discovered as an incidental finding in asymptomatic patients.
The knowledge and recognition of the normal anatomy will help in understanding and identifying these variants,
so important in clinical management for avoiding misdiagnosis,
helping in surgical planning to prevent inadvertent ductal injury.
ANATOMY
BILIARY SYSTEM
The intrahepatic biliary...
Findings and procedure details
We describe the imaging features of the anatomic variants (aberrant or accessory biliary ducts,
aberrant cystic duct insertion,
anomalous junction of the common bile duct with the pancreatic duct,
variations of the pancreatic ducts),
of developmental anomalies of the pancreas (pancreatic agenesis and hypoplasia,
ectopic pancreas,
pancreas divisum and annular pancreas) and the congenital diseases of the pancreatobiliary system (choledochal cysts,
congenital pancreatic cysts or von Hippel–Lindau disease).
Some of these entities can be clinically significant and the advances in the imaging techniques have contributed...
Conclusion
A basic understanding of the normal anatomy of the pancreas and biliary tree is mandatory for identifying any anomaly,
facilitates accurate diagnosis and helps avoid misinterpretation.
Congenital pancreatic and biliary anomalies are commonly encountered at radiology.
Radiologists should be familiar with these anomalies,
the imaging techniques available for their study,
and their variable imaging appearance,
necessary for differentiating them from other pathologic conditions.
References
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Multimodality imaging of pancreatic and biliary congenital anomalies....