Pancreatic metastases: US evaluation.

Abstract

The sonographic appearance of histologically verified pancreatic metastases is reported in seven patients with advanced spread of tumor. All metastases appeared as homogenous, solid, space-occupying lesions with a more hypoechoic internal structure than the pancreatic parenchyma. In five cases, multiple metastases were demonstrated; in two cases, there was a solitary metastasis in the head and tail of the pancreas. Pancreatic metastases are diagnosed infrequently because of the paucity of clinical symptoms and the small size of the foci. In six patients, the diameters of the metastases were 0.5-2.0 cm, and only three patients had organ-related clinical symptoms. The putative diagnosis of organ metastases must be made when multiple hypoechoic foci can be demonstrated in the pancreas in a patient with a malignant tumor. Pancreatic carcinoma, acute pancreatitis, and focal infiltrates in Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas must be considered when diagnosing multiple pancreatic lesions.