ACUTE-PANCREATITIS - THE ROLE OF DIAGNOSTIC-IMAGING

In the U.S., acute pancreatitis is usually caused by excessive consump tion of ethanol or by biliary stone disease. Major pathologic findings and complications include fluid collections within the organ or the a djacent peripancreatic tissues, pseudocysts, pancreatic necrosis, pseu doaneurysm, and abscess formation. Radiologic imaging, including endos copic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), sonography, and comp uted tomography (CT), are important in the evaluation of acute pancrea titis and its complications. CT in particular also aids in grading the severity of acute pancreatitis and in predicting complications and mo rtality; however, CT correlation with Ranson's clinical prognostic fac tors or with other classification systems is less clear. The imaging a nd therapeutic aspects of acute pancreatitis are discussed and illustr ated and prognostic factors are correlated.