Diagnosis of Case Study #1

Radiographic Findings:
There is a well-defined soft tissue mass within the midabdomen, displacing the intestinal loops caudally. The other abdominal organs are within normal limits.

Diagnosis:
Diagnostic differential should include mesenteric or splenic mass, cyst, abscess, granuloma, adrenal or perirenal mass.

Surgical and histopathologic diagnosis:
PeriPancreatic Pseudocyst.

Comments:
Solitary or multiloculated pseudocysts have been described. In most cases, the pseudocysts are associated with clinical and laboratory evidence of pancreatitis. Often they disappear spontaneously over several weeks, but some may persist for extended periods of time and require surgical drainage. The pseudocyst may represent a sequela of previous pancreatic inflammation, as in this case. Sonography alone cannot differentiate pancreatic necrosis, pseudocysts, abscesses or neoplasia; pancreatic necrosis resolves with clinical improvement, whereas pseudocysts tend to enlarge over the same time period.

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