Table 2.

Differences in epidemiology and morphology on MRCP of cystic pancreatic tumours

	Serous cystadenoma	Mucinous cystic neoplasms	Intraductal mucinous neoplasm (IPMN)
Demographics	Typically older women >60 years	Typically younger women 30-50 years	Peak age 6th decade, no gender bias
Site of tumour	Anywhere in the pancreas, especially the head	75% in body/tail	Side branch type: usually pancreatic head/uncinate process, less frequently in the tail; tumour communicates with the main pancreatic duct
			Main duct type: segmental or diffuse involvement of the main pancreatic duct
Morphology	>6 cysts (<2 cm each), thin septations, central scar (calcification), does not communicate with the pancreatic duct	Cysts >2 cm, unilocular or multilocular, does not communicate with the pancreatic duct	Side branch type: macrocystic or microcystic appearances
		Features of malignancy on MR denoted by thick septations, soft tissue nodules, and/or pancreatic duct dilatation	Main duct type: diffuse duct dilatation due to gross mucin production, micropapillary studding, pancreatic atrophy
Average size	5 cm	6-10 cm	Larger size with malignant tumours
Signal characteristics	Fluid signal	High signal intensity on T1 and T2 (mucin/blood)	High signal intensity on T1 (mucin), intermediate signal intensity on T2
Comments	Usually benign	Malignant in 50%	Side branch type: usually associated with benign adenomas
			Main duct type: malignant in 40%