Objective To investigate the CT imaging features of pancreatic fatty replacement and its clinical significance. Methods Three patients with pancreatic fatty replacement detected by CT were retrospectively analyzed. CT examination included plain scan and contrast-enhanced scanning at the arterial and portal venous phases. The shape, size, density, pancreatic lobulation and interlobular spaces, course of the pancreatic duct were carefully observed. The clinic and laboratory data were also analyzed to determine the clinical significance of pancreatic fatty replacement. Results ①Imaging features: Two patients had complete fatty replacement involving the entire pancreas, another one had most fatty replacement sparing the posterior aspect of head and tail. Two patients had regular configuration of pancreas. The size of pancreas was slightly enlarged in 2 patients. Lobular atrophy and widening of interlobular spaces were present in all 3 patients. The pancreatic duct was normal in 3 patients. ②Clinic findings: Chronic diarrhea was present in 3 patients. Two patiens had diabetes （one had chronic cholangitis with choledochal lithiasis）， another one had small stone in the common bile duct. Serum lipase was low in 3 patients, of which one had low serum amylase. Conclusion Pancreatic fatty replacement demonstrates certain characteristic CT appearances, and is usually associated with disturbances of both the endocrine and exocrine functions of the pancreas.
Objective To evaluate the capability of 64 multidetector CT in the differentiation between mucinous and nonmucinous gastric cancer. Methods From June 2006 to June 2007, 68 patients diagnosed as gastric cancer (18 mucinous and 50 nonmucinous cancer) underwent preoperative scan with a 64-slice helical CT scanner at West China Hospital. The CT images were analyzed retrospectively on tumor location (proximal/distal stomach), diameter of tumor, appearance of thickened gastric wall, contrast enhancement pattern (layered/nonlayered), degree of enhancement and serosal invasion. Results The primarily thickened layer (94% of patients) was the low attenuation middle layer in mucinous cancer and the rate was 72% with high attenuating inner layer or entire layer in nonmucinous cancer. The most common contrast enhancement pattern and degree was layered (83% of patients) and non-enhanced (89% of patients) in mucinous cancer and nonlayered (76% of patients) with enhanced (60%of patients) in nonmucinous cancer. The more common serosal invasion was shown in mucinous cancer than in nonmucinous cancer （89% vs 64%）. These findings were statistically significant (P＜0.05). Tumor location and size of gastric cancer were not correlated with operative pathologic classification. Conclusion Sixty-four multidetector CT is effective in distinguishing mucinous from nonmucinous gastric cancer, predominantly on the basis of thickened and layered gastric wall, enhancement pattern of low-attenuating middle layer.