The usefulness of multiplanar reconstruction in helical CT for the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases

The usefulness of multiplanar reconstruction in helical CT for the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases was examined. Helical CT was performed under the following conditions, focusing on the pancreas: 140 kV; 160 mA; table speed, 3 mm/0.8 sec; X-ray beam width, 3 mm; and reconstruction to compensate for pitch, 1.5 mm. The arterial phase was imaged by the smart-prep method, and MPR images were prepared based on the volume data obtained. The main pancreatic duct was imaged as a continuous luminal structure with low density, and the imaging rate of the portion in the head, body, and tail of the pancreas was 85%, 87%, and 63%, respectively. Imaging of the main pancreatic duct was possible if its diameter was about 2 mm or more, and this dilated pancreatic ducts were clearly visualized. In the present study the usefulness of multiplanar reconstruction was demonstrated in the following three regards: multiplanar reconstruction facilitated objective identification of cystic portions, for example of the accessory pancreatic duct, in cystic diseases; multiplanar reconstruction enabled detection of lesions that were difficult to detect by axial imaging in two patients with TS1 pancreatic carcinoma; and multiplanar reconstruction made it easy to judge whether calculi were present in the pancreatic duct and other parts of the pancreas in pancreatolithiasis patients. (K.H.)