Beyond the Common: A Pictorial Review of Rare and Atypical Periampullary Lesions

The periampullary region, defined as the area within 2 cm of the major papilla of the duodenum, is associated with various benign and malignant conditions. Although periampullary cancers are rare, they are the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the Western world. Tumors in this area often mimic benign lesions due to overlapping clinical presentations. Diagnostic imaging techniques, including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, and MR cholangiopancreatography, are commonly used in clinical practice and typically confirmed by pathological analysis. Therefore, evaluating imaging characteristics of rare and atypical periampullary conditions and classifying them into 4 categories (anatomical variations, tumors, inflammatory conditions, and miscellaneous disorders) can aid in the differential diagnosis and improve understanding of these lesions.