AIM:To investigate the role of curved planar reformationsusing multidetector spiral CT (MSCT) in diagnosis of pancreaticand peripancreatic diseases.METHODS:From October 2001 to September 2003,47consecutive patients with pancreatic or peripancreaticdiseases,which were confirmed by operation,endoscopicretrograde cholangiopancreatography and clinical follow-up,were enrolled in this study.CT scanning was performed at aMSCT with four rows of detector.A set of images with aneffective thickness of 1.0-2.0 mm and a gap of 0.5-1.0 mm(50% overlap) were acquired in all patients for post-processing.Curved planar reformations were carried out bydrawing a curved line on transverse source images,coronalor sagittal multiplanar reformations according to certainanatomic structures (such as cholangiopancreatic ducts orperipancreatic vessels) and the position of lesion.RESULTS:With thin collimation,MSCT could acquire high-quality curved planar reformations to display the profile ofthe whole pancreas,to trace the cholangiopancreatic ductsand peripancreatic vessels,and to show the relationship oflesions with pancreas and peripancreatic anatomic structuresin one curved plane,which facilitates diagnosis and rapidcommunication of diagnostic information with referringphysicians.CONCLUSION:MSCT with thin collimation could be usedto create high-quality curved planar reformations in evaluatingpancreatic and peripancreatic diseases with pertinentanatomic information and relative pathologic signs to facilitatethe diagnosis and enhance communication with the referringphysidan.Curved planar reforrnations can serve as supplementsfor transverse images in diagnosis and management ofpancreatic and peripancreatic diseases. AIM: To investigate the role of curved planar reformations using multidetector spiral CT (MSCT) in diagnosis of pancreatic and peripancreatic diseases. METHODS: From October 2001 to September 2003, 47 Consecutive patients with pancreatic or peripancreatic diseases, which were confirmed by operation, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and clinical follow -up, were enrolled in this study. CT scanning was performed at aMSCT with four rows of detector. A set of images with aneffective thickness of 1.0-2.0 mm and a gap of 0.5-1.0 mm (50% overlap) were acquired in all patients for post-processing. Curved planar reformations were carried out by drawing a curved line on transverse source images, coronalor sagittal multiplanar reformations according to certainanatomic structures (such as cholangiopancreatic ducts orperipancreatic vessels) and the position of lesion .RESULTS: With thin collimation, MSCT could acquire high-quality curved planar reformations to display the profile of the whole pancreas, to tr ace the cholangiopancreatic ducts and peripancreatic vessels, and to show the relationship oflesions with pancreas and peripancreatic anatomic structures in one curved plane, which offers diagnosis and rapid communication of diagnostic information with referringphysicians. CONCLUSION: MSCT with thin collimation could be used to create high-quality curved planar reformations in evaluating pancreatic and peripancreatic diseases with pertinentanatomic information and relative pathologic signs to facilitate the diagnosis and enhance communication with the referringphysidan. Curved planar reforrnations can serve as supplementsfor transverse images in diagnosis and management of pancreatic and peripancreatic diseases.