Diffusion-Weighted MRI Detects More Occult Liver Metastases

In a pilot study involving 38 patients with high-risk pancreatic adenocarcinoma, diffusion-weighted MRI revealed occult liver metastases in 34.2% of cases, significantly higher than peritoneal metastases at 5.3%. With a sensitivity of 86.7% for liver metastases, it allowed avoidance of unnecessary surgical explorations in nearly 40% of patients. Ultimately, intraoperative findings revealed additional metastases in some cases, emphasizing the potential impact of DWI-MRI on surgical planning and patient outcomes.