Keywords:
Abdomen, Pancreas, MR, Contrast agent-intravenous, Pathology, Neoplasia
Authors:
F. Castelli, R. Negrelli, L. Zantedeschi, A. Ventriglia, R. Manfredi, R. Pozzi Mucelli; Verona/IT
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2012/C-1200
Conclusion
The focal form of autoimmune pancreatitis is an emerging disease,
diagnosed more frequently in response to a request for an in-depth radiological analysis in patients with acute pancreatitis or abdominal pain not well characterized.
All patients in our study showed significant response to steroid treatment,
evaluated with the remission of symptoms and improvement or complete resolution of radiological patterns.
MRI,
thanks to its elevated high contrast resolution,
shows pancreatic abnormalities suggestive of AIP and allows to evaluate the response to treatment and the presence of early recurrence even before the disease is clinically evident.
In concluison we consider MRI-MRCP an useful technique in the diagnosis,
in monitoring response to therapy and evaluation of the presence of relapse of the disease during follow-up period.
We find it useful to submit patients with AIP to repeated follow-ups with an interval of at least 6 months.
Finally it represents a problem-solving tool in the differential diagnosis between focal AIP and ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma.