Cystic and Pseudocystic Lesions of the Pancreas

Cystic lesions of the pancreas are presently receiving increased attention, both in the clinical setting and in the literature. Such lesions are being detected with ever increasing frequency given the continually improving spatial resolution of computed tomography. The presence of a cystic pancreatic lesion often represents a diagnostic dilemma; while most lesions are generally incidental in nature, a minority of these lesions may be potentially malignant. Aside from neoplastic lesions, post-inflammatory lesions can further complicate the differential diagnosis. The combination of medical history, demographic factors, and imaging characteristics can aid the radiologist when providing management recommendations. Most importantly, state-of-the-art magnetic resonance techniques currently offer unparalleled characterization of these lesions.