Pancreatic serous cystadenoma misdiagnosed as pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor: a case report

Abstract

Pancreatic serous cystadenoma (SCA) appears as a multilocular mass filled with clear fluid, spongy in section, mostly solitary, and microscopically the cystic lumen is covered with flat or cuboidal epithelium. A 44-year-old woman complained of epigastric bloating for about 1 year, with worsening symptoms in the last 1 month, combined with decreased appetite and abdominal pain, and her weight had lost 3 kilograms in the last month. Computed Tomography (CT) scan showed a mass of low density lesion in the pancreatic head, with slightly unclear boundaries, and the maximum cross-sectional area was about 6.1*4.7centimetre (cm). The arterial phase of contrast-enhanced scan was obviously heterogeneous enhancement, and there were multiple small cystic non-enhancement areas. Pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed and postoperative pathological results showed pancreatic serous cystadenoma, microcystic type. We reported this case of pancreatic SCA (microcystic type) with a rare imaging finding. The high vascular signal of this imaging manifestation will raise our awareness of this tumor.