Vascular encasement by pancreatobiliary neoplasms

This paper reports that vascular encasement is common with pancreatobiliary malignancy. This study was performed to determine the value of gradient-echo (GRE) MR imaging in the detection of mesenteric vessel encasement. Fifteen patients with known pancreatobiliary tumors underwent dynamic CT and gradient-echo and spin-echo MR imaging. Imaging findings were correlated with clinical/surgical follow-up. GRE MR imaging provides useful adjunctive information to dynamic CT and conventional spin-echo (SE) MR imaging in patients with pancreatobiliary neoplasms. It excels at diagnosing mesenteric venous compression and occlusion. It does not, however, significantly add information regarding celiac arterial abnormalities to that available with dynamic CT. Dyamic Ct, SE Mr imaging, and GRE MR imaging all fall short of enabling diagnosis of pancreatobiliary tumor adherence to the abdominal vasculature