Recurrence of retroperitoneal fibrosis with pancreatic involvement — the importance of imaging methods

fibrosis �(RPF)�isararediseaseassociatedwiththedevelopmentofchronicinflammationandfibrogenesisintheret- roperitonealspace.�Thediseaseusuallymanifestswithacuteoracuteoverchronicrenalfailureand/orurosepsis.�Pancreaticinvolve- mentinRPFisrarebuthasbeendescribedintheliterature.�ThediagnosisofRPFismademainlybyimagingmethods.�Abdominal� echographyscanrevealsthepresenceofanobstructionwithorwithoutinflammation; �computedtomographyandmagneticresonance� imagingshowthetypeandthespreadingoffibrosis. �Here,�wereporta�50-year-oldfemalepatientdiagnosedwithRPFduringoperative� interventionin�2003.�Initialtreatmentwithcorticosteroidsandtamoxifenleadtoremission.�In�2007,�laterecurrencewasobserved,� withtumor-likelesionsovertheupper,�posterior,�andanteriorsurfacesofthepancreas,�spreadingtointraperitonealstructuresand� morepronouncedontheleftside.�Abdominalechographyonday�30�showedthatcorticosteroidtreatmentleadtoadecreaseinthe� tumor-likelesions.