Can pancreatic cancer be detected by a CT scan?
Pancreatic cancer can be detected by CT, which shows both direct and indirect signs. The direct signs of pancreatic cancer are manifested as pancreatic masses, which are mostly lobulated. On plain scans, the tumor appears isodense or slightly hypodense compared to the pancreatic parenchyma. When the tumor is large, it appears as a local protrusion, mostly located within the pancreas. In the early phase after enhancement, the tumor enhances less than the surrounding normal pancreatic tissue because pancreatic cancer is a hypovascular tumor. Indirect signs are mainly secondary changes caused by pancreatic cancer, mainly affecting the common bile duct and the main pancreatic duct, which can lead to pancreatic duct dilation, characterized by the typical double duct sign.
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