Pancreatic segmentation on an embryological and anatomical basis

Abstract

Limited resection of the pancreas is recommended for low-grade malignancies such as mucin-producing tumors. We propose a system of segmentation of the pancreas for the purposes of limited resection. The proposed system has an anatomical and embryological basis, and divides the pancreas into four segments, namely the anterior head, posterior head, body and tail. These segments are based on the conventional anatomical division of the pancreas, identification of the originating primordium, and distribution of the ventral and dorsal pancreas.