Tuberculosis of the Pancreas: MRI Features

• Published in: American journal of roentgenology (1976) Vol. 184; no. 1; pp. 50 - 54
• Main Authors: De Backer, A. I, Mortele, K. J, Bomans, P, De Keulenaer, B. L, Vanschoubroeck, I. J, Kockx, M. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Leesburg, VA Am Roentgen Ray Soc 01.01.2005; American Roentgen Ray Society
• Subjects: Adult; Bacterial diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mycobacterium; Pancreas - pathology; Pancreatic Diseases - diagnosis; Tuberculosis - diagnosis; Tuberculosis and atypical mycobacterial infections; Infection; Tuberculosis; Bacteriosis; Medical imagery; Mycobacterial infection; Pancreas; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging
• ISSN: 0361-803X; 1546-3141
• DOI: 10.2214/ajr.184.1.01840050

The purpose of this study was to describe the MRI features of tuberculosis of the pancreas. Pancreatic tuberculosis can be focal or diffuse. If focal, it presents as a sharply delineated mass located in the pancreatic head, showing heterogeneous enhancement. Lesions are hypointense on fat-suppressed T1-weighted images and a mixture of hypo- and hyperintense on T2-weighted images. The appearances of common bile duct and main pancreatic duct are normal. Diffuse involvement is characterized by pancreatic enlargement with narrowing of the main pancreatic duct and heterogeneous enhancement. Signal intensity abnormalities indicating diffuse involvement include hypointensity on fat-suppressed T1-weighted images and hyperintensity on T2-weighted images.