Background: Pancreatic cancer resectability and five-year survival rates remain quite low, with 10% survival rates for pancreatic body and tail tumors and 19% for pancreatic head tumors. Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCTA) provides the most accurate assessment of primary tumors, vascular invasion, and distant metastases relative to other imaging techniques.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of MDCTA for local staging and resectability of pancreatic head cancer.
Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional research comprised 50 patients with histopathologically proven pancreatic head carcinoma. The cases were subjected to the assessment by MDCTA with IV contrast, as well as the subsequent post-processing procedures. Confirmation with operative data, biopsy, and histopathology was done.
Results: There was an insignificant difference in resectability assessment between MDCTA and exploratory laparoscopy. MDCTA can diagnose resectability compared to laparoscopy with 100% sensitivity, 82.4% specificity, 91.7% PPV, 100% NPV, and 94% accuracy.
Conclusion: MDCTA was shown to be a valuable technique for diagnosing pancreatic head cancer, which was evaluated in the majority of vessels as it is non-invasive and offers information on the location, size, and severity of the tumor. MDCTA can even enhance the selection of patients who can benefit from surgical excision of the tumor, preventing considerable postoperative morbidity and death due to unneeded surgery.