Isoattenuating insulinomas at biphasic contrast-enhanced CT: frequency, clinicopathologic features and perfusion characteristics.

Abstract

We aimed to determine the frequency of isoattenuating insulinomas, to investigate their clinicopathological features and to assess their regional pancreatic perfusion characteristics. Institutional review board approval was obtained, and patient informed consent was waived. From July 2010 to June 2014, 170 patients (66 male, 104 female) with endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia underwent biphasic contrast-enhanced CT before surgery, and 129 of those patients also received preoperative whole-pancreas CT perfusion. A total of 181 tumours were proved histopathologically after surgery. Enhancement pattern and regional pancreatic perfusion characteristics were analyzed. Clinical features, tumour size and pathological grading were investigated. The frequency of isoattenuating tumours was 24.9%. Tumour size and WHO grading was not significantly different between isoattenuating and hyperattenuating tumours. Tumour-free regions had identical blood flow (BF) regardless of their location (p = 0.35). Isoattenuating tumour-harbouring regions had lower BF compared with hyperattenuating tumour-harbouring regions; both showed higher BF compared with tumour-free neighbourhood regions (all p < 0.01). For patients with isoattenuating tumours, the overall hospital stay was longer (p < 0.01). A substantial subset of insulinomas were isoattenuating on biphasic CT. CT perfusion showed higher BF in tumour-harbouring regions compared to tumour-free regions, providing a clue for tumour regionalization. • About a quarter of all insulinomas were isoattenuating on biphasic contrast-enhanced CT. • CT perfusion finds tumour-harbouring regions have higher blood-flow compared to tumour-free regions. • CT perfusion provides important information for tumour regionalization, for isoattenuating tumours.