OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinicopathological and CT features of mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCNs) of the pancreas and analyze the correlative risk factors for malignant pancreatic mucinous cystic neoplasms.

METHODSNinety-eight patients who underwent curative resection for mucinous cystic neoplasms of the pancreas at PLA General Hospital from April 1994 to January 2013 were included in this study. All clinicopathological data available were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were divided into benign tumors + premalignant lesion group (70 patients) and malignant tumor group (28 patients). Clinicopathological and CT features of the mucinous cystic neoplasms of the pancreas and risk factors of malignant pancreatic mucinous cystic neoplasms were analyzed.

RESULTSMucinous cystic neoplasms were seen mostly in perimenopausal women (71.4%, 70/98 cases,), and 51.0% (50/98 cases) of the patients had obvious clinical signs, mostly non-specific abdominal pain, but jaundice was present only in cases of malignant mucinous cystic neoplasms. Benign mucinous cystic neoplasms were mostly located in the distal pancreas (74.3%) and characterized with septa and thin cystic wall, while more malignant mucinous cystic neoplasms were located at the proximal pancreas (57.1%) and characterized with thick cystic wall and solid components. Univariate analysis showed that findings associated with malignancy gender, age ≥ 60, presence of symptoms, jaundice, weight loss, tumor location, margin, wall thickness, solid components and dilation of the main pancreatic duct were significantly correlated with malignant tumor development (P < 0.05 for all). The results of multiple logistic regression analysis showed that thick wall and solid components were independent prognostic factors for malignancy (OR = 31.417 and 34.976, P < 0.05 for both).

CONCLUSIONSGender, age ≥ 60, presence of symptoms, jaundice, weight loss, tumor location, margin, wall thickness, solid components and dilation of the main pancreatic duct are important diagnostic indices of malignant mucinous cystic tumors of the pancreas, while thick wall and solid components are independent risk factors of malignant pancreatic mucinous cystic neoplasms.