Published in:
01-11-2012 | Original Article
CT volumetry of normal pancreas: correlation with the pancreatic diameters measurable by the cross-sectional imaging, and relationship with the gender, age, and body constitution
Published in: Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy | Issue 9/2012
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Purpose
The purpose of this study was to estimate the volume of normal pancreas in adults using the CT volumetry (summation of the areas technique), analyze the correlation between the volume and the diameters of pancreas, which are measurable by the cross-sectional imaging, and assess the relationship with the gender, age, and body constitution.
Methods
220 CT examinations were analyzed retrospectively (102 females, 118 males; age 16–82, average 56). Following diameters were measured: cranial–caudal—CCpancreas, CCbody&tail, CCbody, CChead; anterior–posterior—APtail, APbody, APhead; lengths—LLhead, Lbody&tail; and maximal transversal diameter of the L1 vertebral body (LLL1) and thickness of the abdominal subcutaneous fat (APASF), as markers of body constitution.
Results
The average volume of the pancreas was 79.2 ± 24.1 cm3 (ranging from 37.4 to 168.2 cm3). Pancreatic volume strongly correlated with all measured diameters of the pancreas (P < 0.0001). Pancreatic volume significantly correlated with gender (M:F = 86.1:72.8 cm3, P = 0.002) and the LLL1 (r = 0.185, P = 0.008), and did not correlate with the age (r = −0.110, P = 0.151) and the APASF (r = −0.115, P = 0.104). Correlation of vertebral body–pancreas volume ratio of each subject and the age was strongly negative (r = −0.202, P = 0.006).
Conclusions
Marked individual variations in normal pancreas volume were observed. Pancreatic volume could be computed using the diameters measurable by the cross-sectional imaging employing the formula: V = (APtail + APbody)/2 × Lbody&tail × CCbody + (APhead/2)2 × 3.14 × CChead.