Enhancing diagnostic frameworks in pancreatic cancer imaging: A critical appraisal

This letter to the editor critically appraises the study by Luo <i>et al</i>. While the study provides valuable insights into imaging-pathology correlations in pancreatic cancer, we identify several opportunities for enhancing its clinical relevance. Notably, the exclusion of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging limits the study's diagnostic scope, as these modalities offer superior capabilities in differentiating benign from malignant lesions and assessing metabolic tumor activity. Additionally, the retrospective, cross-sectional design restricts the potential for dynamic insights into disease progression. We also highlight the untapped potential of radiomics-based analyses, which could significantly improve diagnostic accuracy and prognostic assessments. We recommend integrating these advanced imaging modalities, adopting longitudinal study designs, and leveraging radiomics approaches in future research to enhance the diagnostic frameworks in pancreatic cancer imaging.