Streamlining IPMN Surveillance: The Promise of Abbreviated MRI Protocols

A single-center retrospective cohort study found that abbreviated MRI protocols in IPMN surveillance match the diagnostic performance of standard MRI while dramatically shortening scan time.

This single‑center retrospective cohort included 124 patients under BD‑IPMN surveillance and evaluated sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for degeneration markers such as mural nodules and main‑duct involvement. The researchers assessed standard full protocols versus abbreviated MRI protocols and reported an overall sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 98.3%, PPV of 71.4%, and NPV of 100% for A‑MRI in detecting degeneration markers.

Scan‑time data were striking. Standard protocols required roughly 40–50 minutes per examination versus approximately 7–12 minutes for abbreviated protocols, implying a 3–6x reduction in per‑study scanner time. In practice, a single scanner could shift from ~8–10 full studies per day to >20–30 abbreviated studies, increasing capacity and shortening appointment windows.

Notably, omitting dynamic contrast‑enhanced sequences can increase false positives for mural nodules and complicate differentiation of enhancing lesions from mucin or artifact. Other limitations include the single‑center, retrospective design, potential selection bias, and limited histopathologic confirmation.