A case of pancreatic carcinoma with marked ductal dilatation - What contributed to the dilatation?

Background. We report the case of an 82-yr-old man with invasive ductal car cinoma of the pancreatic head, in which the main pancreatic duct and duct o f Santorini were markedly dilated, measuring 1.6 and 1.1 cm, respectively, in diameter on computed tomography. Methods, A preoperative diagnosis of ductal carcinoma of the pancreatic hea d was made, and Whipple's procedure was carried out. Results. Histopathologically, the tumor was diagnosed as moderately differe ntiated tubular adenocarcinoma, and the resected pancreatic parenchyma show ed low papillary mucous cell hyperplasia and atypical hyperplasia in dilate d ductular branches. Conclusion. Even among patients with tubular adenocarcinoma, the most commo n type of pancreatic ductal carcinoma, if the patient is aged and has chron ic pancreatitis, the main pancreatic duct and duct of Santorini may dilate to the same degree as in mucin-hypersecreting neoplasm.