Published in:
01-02-2015
Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging indicates the severity of acute pancreatitis
Published in: Abdominal Radiology | Issue 2/2015
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Purpose
To test the use of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) to differentiate between different degrees of severity of acute pancreatitis (AP).
Method
Thirty-six patients who underwent DW-MRI and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography were divided into patients with mild AP (mAP, n = 15), patients with necrotizing AP (nAP, n = 8), and patients with a normal pancreas (nP, n = 15; controls). The pancreas was divided into head, body, and tail, and each segment was classified according to image features: pattern 1, normal; pattern 2, mild inflammation; and pattern 3, necrosis. Apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) were measured in each segment and correlated with clinical diagnoses.
Results
A total of 108 segments was assessed (three segments per patient). Segments classified as pattern 1 in the nP and mAP groups showed similar ADC values (P = 0.29). ADC values calculated for the pancreatic segments grouped according to the different image patterns (1–3) were significantly different (P < 0.001). Comparisons revealed significant differences in signal intensity between all three patterns (P < 0.05).
Conclusions
DW-MRI was a compatible and safe image option to differentiate tissue image patterns in patients with mAP, nAP, and nP, mainly in those with contraindications to contrast-enhanced MRI (which is classically required for determining the presence of necrosis) or computed tomography. ADC measures allowed precise differentiation between patterns 1, 2, and 3.