ROLE OF ANGIOGRAPHY IN CARCINOMA OF THE PANCREAS AS A PREOPERATIVE ASSESSMENT

Background/Aim: One of the most important factors effecting the progno sis of pancreatic cancer is successful resection, of the carcinoma. Pr oper staging is essential to such resections. This study attempts to p rove the importance of angiographic diagnosis for surgery of the pancr eas due to ductal carcinoma, Such diagnosis influences the determinati on for resection, which in turn impacts patient prognosis. Material an d Methods: Angiograms of 54 patients who underwent extended pancreatec tomy for ductal carcinoma were reviewed. Findings of the angiograms an d portograms were classified to four types from the viewpoint of the g rade of carcinoma invasion. The angiograms were then compared with pat hological determination of carcinoma invasion and the results were com pared with patient prognosis.Results: When arterial invasion was not d etectable or limited to intrapancreatic small branches, curative resec tability and longer survival rates were expected. In patients with inv asion to major arteries adjacent to the pancreas, some patient surviva l rates were significantly longer than others. Conclusion: We overesti mated the degree of carcinoma invasion, based on. arteriography so oft en. that we were not disappointed when, aiming for curative resection even when contraindicated by arteriography. Angiography had an importa nt role as a preoperative assessment in carcinoma of the pancreas in t erms of curative resectability and survival expectancy.