Malignant solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas causing sinistral portal hypertension

Abstract

Solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas is a rare benign or low-grade malignant epithelial tumor that occurs mainly in young females in second to fourth decades of life. Pathologic and imaging findings include a well-defined, encapsulated pancreatic mass with cystic and solid components with evidence of hemorrhage. We report a 23-year-old female who presented with upper abdominal pain of long duration and epigastric mass on palpation. Multidetector-row CT (MDCT) demonstrated a large well-defined heterogeneous attenuation mass, containing hyperdense areas of hemorrhage mixed with solid enhancing and cystic non-enhancing areas, arising from the pancreatic body and tail. Splenic vein thrombosis was present with dilated splenoportal collateral vessels between splenic hilum and portal/superior mesenteric veins, with dilated vessels seen in the gastric wall, with patent portal vein, compatible with sinistral portal hypertension. Typical imaging features and age and sex of the patient suggested a diagnosis of SPT of pancreas complicated by segmental portal hypertension due to splenic vein thrombosis. Histopathology of the biopsy material was confirmatory.

Keywords

• CT
• malignant
• pancreas
• portal hypertension
• psueodopapillary tumor