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Antonio Pio Tortorelli, MD; Valerio Papa, MD; Fausto Rosa, MD; Fabio Pacelli, MD; Giovanni Battista Doglietto, MD
Author Affiliations: Departments of Surgical Sciences, Digestive Surgery Unit, Catholic University School of Medicine, Rome, Italy.

Arch Surg. 2006;141:1259.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

INTRODUCTION

A 69-year-old woman who had epilepsy and hypertension presented with a 5-month history of weight loss (5 kg), vague pain, and discomfort in the lower quadrants of the abdomen. She had no fever, vomiting, or diarrhea and no history of clinical pancreatitis. Physical examination findings were unremarkable; general laboratory test results and serum levels of tumor markers were within normal limits. Ultrasonographic examination revealed a predominantly cystic mass (7 x 6 x 5 cm) in the body and tail of the pancreas. A contrast-enhanced computed tomographic scan showed a well-defined, round, low-density mass in the region of the pancreatic tail, consisting of a predominantly cystic area with corpuscular content. After the injection of contrast medium, enhancement of posterior polypoid lesions and of the external wall was seen (Figure 1).

Figure appears in full text version. Figure 1. . . . [Full Text of this Article]

What Is the Diagnosis?

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