Peripancreatic arteries in thin-section multislice helical CT

Background: The normal and pathologic anatomies of the peripancreatic arter ies were demonstrated using thin-section multislice computed tomography (CT ). Methods: Triple-phase dynamic CT was performed in 304 consecutive patients without pancreatic pathology and in 22 patients with pancreatic carcinoma. CT angiographies images (2.5-mm collimation, multihelical pitch 3, HQ mode) and a 1.25-mm reconstruction interval were obtained with a GE Lightspeed Q x/i at 25, 40, and 80 s after bolus injection of 130-150 mt of iodinated co ntrast medium at a rate of 3-5 mL/s. The images were assessed mainly by the manual cine paging method. Results: The anterior and posterior arcades and the dorsal pancreatic arter y were frequently visualized. However, small-caliber arteries smaller than 1.5 mm in diameter, such as the pancreaticomagna, caudal pancreatic, and tr ansverse pancreatic arteries, were infrequently visualized. In some cases, the peripancreatic arteries were very useful for differentiating the origin of tumors. Conclusion: Multislice helical CT enables the recognition of small peripanc reatic arteries, and evaluation of these arteries should be considered when assessing tumors in the pancreaticoduodenal region.