Visualization of Pancreatic Tail Cancer with Liver Metastasis through Abdominal Transsplenic Scan

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer typically presents as a focal hypoechoic, hypovascular solid mass with irregular margins on ultrasound. Pancreatic tail disease can be difficult to detect on abdominal ultrasonography. A 75-year-old man visited our institution with upper abdominal pain. We successfully visualized a pancreatic tail mass on abdominal transsplenic scan and multiple liver masses via abdominal transverse scan. His diagnosis was confirmed as pancreatic tail cancer with liver metastasis following endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy. Abdominal transsplenic scan proved valuable for diagnosing pancreatic tail disease because abdominal ultrasound has limited utility for evaluating pancreatic tail masses due to obscuration by bowel gas.