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Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are a commonly used form of contraception worldwide. However, migration of the IUD from its normal position in the uterine fundus is a frequently encountered complication, varying from uterine expulsion to displacement into the endometrial canal to uterine perforation. Different sites of IUD translocation vary in terms of their clinical significance and subsequent management, and the urgency of communicating IUD migration to the clinician is likewise variable. Expulsion or intrauterine displacement of the IUD leads to decreased contraceptive efficacy and should be clearly communicated, since it warrants IUD replacement to prevent unplanned pregnancy. Embedment of the IUD into the myometrium can usually be managed in the outpatient clinical setting but occasionally requires hysteroscopic removal. Complete uterine perforation, in which the IUD is partially or completely within the peritoneal cavity, requires surgical management, and timely and direct communication with the clinician is essential in such cases. Careful evaluation for intraabdominal complications is also important, since they may warrant urgent or emergent surgical intervention. The radiologist plays an important role in the diagnosis of IUD migration and should be familiar with its appearance at multiple imaging modalities., (© RSNA, 2012.)

A variety of anatomic variants and pathologic conditions in and around the pancreas may simulate primary pancreatic neoplasia at routine abdominal cross-sectional imaging. An ambiguous lesion whose appearance suggests a pancreatic origin requires a broad differential diagnosis that can subsequently be narrowed on the basis of both clinical history and features at optimal computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Pancreas-specific multidetector CT and MR imaging techniques with thin collimation, multiplanar and multiphasic scans, and newly introduced curved planar reformation may help avoid potential diagnostic pitfalls. These techniques can help identify and characterize a mass in multiple viewing planes, thereby helping distinguish a true pancreatic neoplasm from peripancreatic adenopathy or from a tumor of the adjacent duodenum or small bowel. They can also help determine the cause of a tumor. It is important that the radiologist be familiar with the wide spectrum of anatomic variants and disease entities that can mimic primary pancreatic neoplasia in order to initiate the appropriate lesion-specific work-up and treatment and avoid unnecessary tests or procedures, including surgery.