Akira Yamamoto MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Katsuyoshi Ito MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Teruyuki Torigoe, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Tsutomu Tamada MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Tomohiro Sato MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Atsushi Higaki MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Daigo Tanimoto MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Hiroki Higashi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

By using relatively invasive methods such as secretin tests and aspiration of pure pancreatic juice, previous studies reported that the volume of exocrine pancreatic secretion is reduced with aging. Our group has reported the physiologic flow of pancreatic juice can be visualized with cine-dynamic MRCP using spatially selective IR pulse. The purpose of this study was to evaluate age-related changes of the secretory flow of pancreatic juice in the main pancreatic duct noninvasively by means of cine-dynamic MRCP using spatially selective IR pulse.

A total of fifty three subjects (22-84 years) without a history of pancreatic diseases were included. Four-seconds breath-hold cine-dynamic MRCP using spatially selective IR pulse was performed every 15 seconds during 5 minutes (a total of 20 images). A spatially selective IR pulse with 20-mm width was placed on the pancreas head perpendicular to the main pancreatic duct as much as possible. The secretion grade was classified into 5 grades by the distance of pancreatic juice inflow within the tagged area (grade 0=no secretion, grade 1=1-5mm, grade 2=6-10mm, grade 3=11-15mm, grade 4=>15mm). The mean secretion grade and the frequency of secretion in cine-dynamic MRCP were compared among three age range groups [group 1 (<39 years; n=14), group 2 (40-69 years; n=26) and groups 3 (>70 years; n=13)] to evaluate the age-related differences in the secretory flow of pancreatic juice.

The mean secretion grade and the frequency of secretion were significantly reduced with aging (r=-0.77, p<0.001 and r=-0.74, p<0.001). The mean secretion grade and the frequency of secretion were significantly lower in group 3 than in group 2 (grade 0.4 vs. grade 1.4, p<0.001 and 4.7 time vs. 11.6 time, p=0.001), and also lower in group 2 than in group 1 (grade 1.4 vs. grade 2.5, p<0.001 and 11.6 time vs. 16.6 time, p=0.001).

Cine-dynamic MRCP using spatially selective IR pulse was able to show age-related change of the secretory flow of pancreatic juice visually and noninvasively.

Cine-dynamic MRCP with spatially selective IR pulse could evaluate age-related changes of the pancreatic exocrine function, and may be able to play an important role as anti-aging imaging of pancreas.

Yamamoto, A, Ito, K, Torigoe, T, Tamada, T, Sato, T, Higaki, A, Tanimoto, D, Higashi, H, Age-related Change of the Secretory Flow of Pancreatic Juice in the Main Pancreatic Duct: Evaluation with Cine-Dynamic MRCP Using Spatially Selective Inversion-Recovery Pulse.  Radiological Society of North America 2012 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2012 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2012/12032581.html