Secretin-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (S-MRCP) and Pancreatic Function Following Surgery

Surgical resection offers the only hope of cure for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. While perioperative mortality rates have declined in recent years, pancreatectomy is still associated with significant postoperative malnutrition, maldigestion, and glucose intolerance, mostly as a result of pancreatic insufficiency. Quantifying residual pancreatic function remains a challenge, but is essential in improving the survival and quality of life of pancreatic cancer patients. Secretin-enhanced magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (S-MRCP)has recently emerged as a widely-accepted noninvasive technique to assess morphological changes in the pancreatic ducts, as well as functional secretory capacity of the gland. The aim of our study is to evaluate S-MRCP as a means to assess pancreatic reserve in patients who will undergoing surgical resection for pancreatic carcinoma. As an adjunct to S-MRCP, we will also evaluate the concomitant use of dynamic MRI with contrast enhancement. This will be a prospective study of twelve patients who will undergo S-MRCP/MRI within 30 days of surgery and then at 3, 6, and 12 months post-operatively. Quantitative analysis of S-MRCP will include pancreatic duct diameter and volume before and after secretin administration. MRI will be analyzed for mean T1 signal intensity, total parenchymal volume, and gadolinium enhancement. These radiological parameters will be compared to clinical parameters of exocrine function(subjective reporting of steatorrhea and abdominal pain as well as levels of fecal elastase1 and fat soluble vitamins in stool samples) as well as endocrine function (fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, amylin, glucagon, and somatostatin levels, as well as arginine-stimulated levels of islet cell hormones).