Pancreatic cancer

Diagnosis

Mayo Clinic specialists use the latest diagnostic techniques to help determine the stage of the pancreatic cancer and to develop the best treatment plan for you. In tests that involve radiation, specialists carefully monitor doses to avoid the risk of radiation overexposure.

In addition to standard diagnostic tests to help detect cancer, specialists in Mayo's pancreas clinics are skilled in advanced diagnostic procedures, such as:

• High-definition computerized tomography (CT). Mayo Clinic is one of only a few U.S. medical centers using the latest high-definition CT scanners to diagnose and stage tumors. Much like high-definition TVs, the scanners produce exceptionally clear, detailed images throughout the body, with less radiation than traditional CT scanners.
• Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (ko-lan-jee-oh-pan-kree-uh-TOG-ruh-fee) is especially helpful for diagnosing bile duct obstructions and for detecting pancreatic cysts. It uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed images of your pancreas, liver and bile ducts.
• Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). EUS provides high-resolution images of the pancreas and nearby organs. EUS, in expert hands, can diagnose cancer that has spread from the liver (liver metastases), which is too small to be detected by CT or MRI. People with such small metastases are unlikely to benefit from major pancreatic surgery.
• SpyGlass System. Mayo Clinic is one of a few U.S. medical centers using a more advanced form of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) called the SpyGlass System. Unlike traditional ERCP, which has limited scope, SpyGlass allows doctors to view the entire biliary tract using a 6,000- pixel fiberoptic probe and to take tissue samples under direct observation. This leads to a far more accurate diagnosis and reduces the need for additional testing.

The Pancreas Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota is a leader in developing diagnostic criteria for autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), a noncancerous (benign) condition that can be treated with steroids without the need for surgery, if diagnosed early enough. Mayo doctors can do core biopsies of the pancreas to conclusively diagnose both pancreatic cancer and AIP.

Read more about pancreatic cancer diagnosis and staging.