Acute pancreatitis successfully diagnosed by diffusion-weighted imaging: A case report

作     者：Satoshi Shinya Takamitsu Sasaki Yoshifumi Nakagawa Zhang Guiquing Fumio Yamamoto Yuichi Yamashita 

作者机构：Department of Gastroenterological SurgeryYamamoto Memorial Hospital88-4 HachiyagaramiNirimachiImariSaga 848-0031Japan Department of Gastroenterological SurgeryFukuoka University School of MedicineNanakuma 7-45-1Jonan-kuFukuoka 814-0180Japan 

出 版 物：《World Journal of Gastroenterology》 (世界胃肠病学杂志（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2008年第14卷第35期

页      面：5478-5480页

核心收录：

学科分类：0831[工学-生物医学工程（可授工学、理学、医学学位）] 1002[医学-临床医学] 08[工学] 10[医学] 

主　　题：急性胰腺炎 加权扩散成像 表观扩散常数 磁共振成像 诊断 

摘      要：Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is an established diagnostic method of acute stroke. The latest advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology have greatly expanded the utility of DWI in the examination of various organs. Recent studies have revealed the usefulness of DWI for imaging of the liver, kidney, ovary, and breast. We report a patient with acute pancreatitis detected by DWI and discussed the efficacy of DWI in diagnosing acute pancreatitis. A 50-year old man presented with a primary complaint of abdominal pain. We performed both DWI and computed tomography (CT) for this patient. The signal intensity in a series of DWI was measured and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were calculated to differentiate inflammation from normal tissue. Two experienced radiologists evaluated the grade of acute pancreatitis by comparing the CT findings. Initially, the pancreas and multiple ascites around the pancreas produced a bright signal and ADC values were reduced on DWI. As the inflammation decreased, the bright signal faded to an iso-signal and the ADC values returned to their normal level. There was no difference in the abilities of DWI and CT images to detect acute pancreatitis. However, our case indicates that DWI can evaluate the manifestations of acute pancreatitis using no enhancement material andhas the potential to replace CT as a primary diagnostic strategy for acute pancreatitis.