Soft organ MDCT imaging: Pancreas and spleen

Abstract

Imaging is now integral for diagnosing pancreatic disease and neoplasms. The use of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scanners has dramatically reduced scan acquisition time, with resultant improvement in patient compliance and image quality. Fast scanning time enables the acquisition of multiple phases of enhancement, which is of paramount importance in imaging the pancreas. The improved Z-axis resolution permits excellent image reconstructions, which play a critical role in diagnosis and staging of pancreatic neoplasms due to the anatomic layout of the pancreas and its vasculature. The cross-sectional imaging of splenic pathology has also improved due to the improvement in MDCT technology. MDCT can rapidly image the spleen and is valuable in the diagnosis of a variety of congenital, neoplastic, inflammatory, and traumatic lesions of the spleen. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Milan.