Comparison of CT and angiography in assessing resectability of pancreatic carcinoma

A retrospective study of 27 patients with pancreatic carcinoma compared computed tomography (CT) and angiography in their ability to predict resectability of the neoplasm, using encasement of the splanchnic vessels as the criterion for nonresectability. Five patients had resectable tumor at surgery; the other 22 had unresectable disease. Tumor involvement of the splanchnic vessels was determined in 18 patients by CT examination and in 19 patients by angiography. Several other patients were found to have liver metastases, resulting in a radiologic diagnosis of nonresectability in 20 patients overall. All patients considered to have unresectable disease on the basis of either radiologic method proved to have unresectable tumor at surgery. CT is about as accurate as angiography in assessing resectability of pancreatic carcinoma.