The MDCT and MRI Findings of a Pancreatic Arteriovenous Malformation Combined with Isolated Dissection of the Superior Mesenteric Artery: A Case Report

isolated spontaneous dissection of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) are both well-recognized entities, and these were first reported on by Halpern et al. in 1968 and Bauersfield in 1947, respectively (1-3). Noninvasive diagnostic modalities such as Doppler ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) all are known to provide adequate information for the confirmative diagnosis. Despite that Doppler US is sensitive for detecting the proximal portion of an SMA dissection and AVM, multiphased CT imaging have been revealed to be superior for determining the peripheral extent of a SMA dissection, and MR imaging is superior for determining the details of an AVM. In this report, we describe the MDCT and MRI findings of a unique case of a pancreatic AVM and an isolated SMA dissection that were discovered together in the same patient on his visit to the emergency department because of his epigastric pain.