Which benign pancreatic lesion may obstruct the pancreatic duct?

Which benign pancreatic lesion may obstruct the pancreatic duct?

• A. Mucinous cystadenoma
• B. Adenoma
• C. Serous cystadenoma
• D. Pseudocyst

Answer: (B)

Obstruction of the pancreatic duct happens when a space-occupying lesion sits along the duct’s path and compresses it, causing upstream dilation and impaired drainage. The classic benign lesion that can do this is a pseudocyst—fluid-filled collections that arise after pancreatitis and can grow large enough to press on the duct. On imaging, a pseudocyst appears as a well-defined fluid collection that may cause ductal compression and downstream dilation, reflecting its mass effect. Other cystic pancreatic lesions like serous cystadenoma are usually microcystic and tend to cause symptoms or mass effect but not classic ductal obstruction; mucinous cystic neoplasms can be large and compress adjacent structures and carry malignant potential, but the typical teaching point about duct obstruction in a benign context points to a pseudocyst. Pancreatic adenoma is not a common benign entity described as causing duct obstruction.

Obstruction of the pancreatic duct happens when a space-occupying lesion sits along the duct’s path and compresses it, causing upstream dilation and impaired drainage. The classic benign lesion that can do this is a pseudocyst—fluid-filled collections that arise after pancreatitis and can grow large enough to press on the duct. On imaging, a pseudocyst appears as a well-defined fluid collection that may cause ductal compression and downstream dilation, reflecting its mass effect. Other cystic pancreatic lesions like serous cystadenoma are usually microcystic and tend to cause symptoms or mass effect but not classic ductal obstruction; mucinous cystic neoplasms can be large and compress adjacent structures and carry malignant potential, but the typical teaching point about duct obstruction in a benign context points to a pseudocyst. Pancreatic adenoma is not a common benign entity described as causing duct obstruction.