Spectrum of mucin-producing neoplastic conditions of the abdomen and pelvis: cross-sectional imaging evaluation.
Various mucin-producing neoplasms originate in different abdominal and pelvic organs. Mucinous neoplasms differ from non-mucinous neoplasms because of the differences in clinical outcome and imaging appearance. Mucinous carcinoma, in which at least 50% of the tumor is composed of large pools of extracellular mucin and columns of malignant cells, is associated with a worse prognosis. Signet ring cell carcinoma is characterized by large intracytoplasmic mucin vacuoles that expand in the malignant cells with the nucleus displaced to the periphery. Its prognosis is also generally poor. In contrast, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the bile duct and pancreas, which is characterized by proliferation of ductal epithelium and variable mucin production, has a better prognosis than other malignancies in the pancreaticobiliary tree. Imaging modalities play a critical role in differentiating mucinous from non-mucinous neoplasms. Due to high water content, mucin has a similar appearance to water on ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging, except when thick and proteinaceous, and then it tends to be hypoechoic with fine internal echoes or have complex echogenicity on US, hyperdense on CT, and hyperintense on T1- and hypointense on T2-weighted images, compared to water. Therefore, knowledge of characteristic mucin imaging features is helpful to diagnose various mucin-producing neoplastic conditions and to facilitate appropriate treatment.
['Lee|Nam Kyung|NK|', 'Kim|Suk|S|', 'Kim|Hyun Sung|HS|', 'Jeon|Tae Yong|TY|', 'Kim|Gwang Ha|GH|', 'Kim|Dong Uk|DU|', 'Park|Do Youn|DY|', 'Kim|Tae Un|TU|', 'Kang|Dae Hwan|DH|']
D034841:Abdominal Cavity D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous D006801:Humans D009077:Mucins D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms D010388:Pelvis D011553:Pseudomyxoma Peritonei D011859:Radiography D014463:Ultrasonography
Abdomen and pelvis Neoplasm Mucin Ultrasound Computed tomography Magnetic resonance