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Lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas that was difficult to distinguish from branch duct-type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm: Report of a case

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Abstract

A 58-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital to optimize the management of her diabetes mellitus. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a 30-mmdiameter, multilocular cyst in the head of the pancreas. The tumor markers, including DUPAN 2, SPAN-1, and carbohydrate antigen 19-9, were within the normal ranges. A contrast-enhanced CT scan showed a nonenhanced, multilocular cyst. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging showed a multilocular cyst. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed that the main pancreatic duct was normal. Based on these findings, we suspected a branch duct type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm. A distal pancreatectomy with a splenectomy was performed, since more of the mass was located on the dorsolateral side, inconsistent with the preoperative imaging results. On the resected specimen, a 4-cm-diameter, multilocular cyst containing serous fluid was found. Pathologically, the cyst wall was lined with squamous epithelium surrounded by abundant lymphoid tissue with follicles, consistent with a lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas, which is an unusual benign cyst.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Tokushima Red Cross Hospital, 103 Irinoguchi, Komatsushima-cho, Komatsushima, Tokushima, 773-8502, Japan

    Naoto Fukunaga, Masashi Ishikawa, Takuya Minato, Yoko Yamamura, Hisashi Ishikura, Toshihiro Ichimori, Suguru Kimura & Akihiro Sakata

  2. Department of Pathology, Tokushima Red Cross Hospital, 103 Irinoguchi, Komatsushima-cho, Komatsushima, Tokushima, 773-8502, Japan

    Yoshiyuki Fujii

Authors
  1. Naoto Fukunaga
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  2. Masashi Ishikawa
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  3. Takuya Minato
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  4. Yoko Yamamura
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  5. Hisashi Ishikura
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  6. Toshihiro Ichimori
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  7. Suguru Kimura
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  8. Akihiro Sakata
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  9. Yoshiyuki Fujii
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Fukunaga, N., Ishikawa, M., Minato, T. et al. Lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas that was difficult to distinguish from branch duct-type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm: Report of a case. Surg Today 39, 901–904 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-009-3949-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-009-3949-1

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