A case of mucinous cystic tumor of the pancreatic tail.

A 59-year-old woman, suffering from back pain, visited a territory hospital. A large cystic tumor was found in the left upper abdomen by an abdominal ultrasonography. The patient was referred to our hospital, and computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a large unilocular cystic tumor with multiple septa, sized 15 cm in diameter, in the pancreatic tail (Fig. 1). No solid components of the cystic wall, suggesting the presence of cancer cells, were found. Surrounding organs such as stomach, spleen, liver and colon were compressed but not invaded by the tumor. On magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), the tumor showed high-intensity signals on T2-weighed images and had no continuity with the main pancreatic duct (Fig. 2). A diagnosis of mucinous cystic tumor (MCT) of the pancreatic tail was made. Distal pancreatectomy and partial resection of the transverse colon was performed successfully. Histopathological examination revealed mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of the pancreas, which was in situ carcinoma without any invasion.