Main duct and mixed type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms without enhancing mural nodules: Duct diameter of less than 10 mm and segmental dilatation of main pancreatic duct are findings support surveillance rather than immediate surgery

Objective: The guidelines for pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) recommend surgical resection of all main-duct (MD) and mixed-type IPMNs in surgically fit patients. We conducted this study to identify the rates of high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and invasive carcinoma according to the morphological features of the main pancreatic duct (MPD) in patients with MD and mixed IPMN. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 259 patients with histologically proven MD and mixed-type IPMNs who underwent surgery at six academic institutions. Results: The rate of HGD and invasive carcinoma was 11.1% (24/216) in patients without enhancing mural nodules (MNs) and 69.8% (30/43) in patients with MNs. Multivariate analysis showed that MPD diameter of ≥10 mm [odds ratio (OR), 2.5; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.155–5.505; P = 0.02], diffuse MPD dilatation (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.152–8.998; P = 0.02), and presence of enhancing MNs in MPD (OR, 9.6; 95% CI, 3.928–23.833, P < 0.0001) were significant predictors of HGD and invasive carcinoma. Of the 216 patients without enhancing MNs, 79 patients (36.6%) having both segmental MPD dilatation and MPD diameter of <10 mm showed significantly lower rates of HGD and invasive carcinoma (3/79, 3.8%) than patients having both diffuse MPD dilatation and MPD diameter ≥10 mm (9/36, 25%, P = 0.001). Conclusions: MD and mixed-type IPMNs having segmental MPD dilatation with MPD dilation <10 mm and no enhancing MNs on imaging showed a significantly lower rate of HGD and invasive carcinoma, and watchful follow-up instead of immediate surgical resection might be possible in these patients.