Echo-enhanced sonography--an increasingly used procedure for the differentiation of pancreatic tumors

Abstract

Echo-enhanced sonography is increasingly being used for differential diagnosis of pancreatic tumors. Ductal carcinomas are often hypovascularized compared with the surrounding tissue. On the other hand, neuroendocrine tumors are hypervascularized lesions. Tumors associated with pancreatitis have a different vascularization pattern depending on inflammation and necrosis. Cystadenomas frequently show many vessels along the fibrotic strands. Pancreatic tumors have a different vascularization pattern in echo-enhanced sonography. These characteristics can be used for differential diagnosis. However, histology is the standard of reference.