Pancreatic Mass Mimicking Neuroendocrine Tumor

Abstract

A 68-year-old man presented to our hospital for the evaluation of an incidentally detected pancreatic mass. Serum tumor marker levels were within normal limits. On delayed-phase computed tomography, a homogeneous enhancing 1.8 cm-sized hypervascular mass was detected in the pancreatic head (Figure 1). As the radiologic impression was that of a neuroendocrine tumor, the patient underwent pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodectomy. Microscopically, the tumor exhibited typical features of pancreatic solid hamartoma (Figure 2). Pancreatic solid hamartoma is an extremely rare entity that shows components that are present in the normal pancreas with distorted architecture and are considered as malformative lesions. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult because the clinicopathological features of solid hamartoma have not yet been fully clarified. The radiologic findings in this mass were similar to those of a neuroendocrine tumor. All patients with pancreatic hamartomas present with a benign clinical course. Recognition of this entity is desirable to avoid unnecessary extended surgical resection.