Use of PET Imaging to Distinguish Malignant From Benign IPMN

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is a cystic pancreatic lesion that is a precursor to invasive pancreatic cancer. Differentiating whether an IPMN lesion is benign or malignant is critical, as the prognosis and management differs drastically, varying from surgery to clinical observation. However, despite physicians' attempts to characterize features concerning for malignancy, it is difficult to determine the likelihood of malignancy with conventional imaging techniques, and an accurate and non-invasive test to identify malignant IPMN is needed. Our hypothesis is that positron emission tomography (PET), a three-dimensional imaging that can identify cancer cells through their increased use of sugars, may be a superior test for differentiating between benign and malignant IPMN lesions. The investigators are planning a prospective pilot study of patients with IPMN who are undergoing surgery for their disease. These patients will undergo PET imaging, as well as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) as clinically indicated. Samples of tissue removed during surgery will be assessed and will serve as the gold standard for determining whether the lesion is benign or malignant. The investigators will evaluate the positive and negative predictive values of PET imaging for malignancy within IPMN lesions.