Radiological findings of acute pancreatitis

Yoo, H S; Suh, J H; Choi, B S

Abstract

It is well known that acute pancreatitis is one of the acute abdominal syndrome in which radiology cancontribute a great deal toward the diagnosis. It was attempted to analyze the radiologic findings of actuepancreatitis in 186 cases who had been diagnosed clinically. Radiologic analysis was made including variousradiographs of simple chest P-A, flat and upright abdomen, conventional upper gastrointestinal barium mealstudies, oral cholecystography and intravenous cholangiography. Especially radiologic findings in the chest P-Aand oral cholecystography were analyzed according to the serum amylase level. Results are as follows ; 1. Therewas no significant difference in occurence between both sexes. 2. The main symptoms were abdominal pain, nauseaand vomiting and the major physical finding was abdominal tenderness. 3. Abnormal findings of chest P-A was 27.4%(45/164). The incidence of Lt. side pleural effusion was two times frequent than the Rt and frequency of pleuraleffusion seems to be higher in group of high serum amylase level. 4. Simple abdomen findings showed sentinel loopsign in 24%, Colon cut off sign in 18.5%. Specific signs of intra-abdominal fat necrosis was found in 2 cases.Pancreatic calcification was not found. 5. Conventional UGI studies showed duodenal C-loop widening in 33.7%,mucosal thickening 27.5%, mucosal spiculation 20%, antral spasm and antral pad sign 14.7% and indentation oflesser curvature 12.7% in descending frequency. 6. Non visualization of gall bladder in oral cholecystogramrevealed 29.3% and non-visualization of common bile duct in intravenous cholangiogram revealed 13.5%. Theincidence of non-visualization of gall bladder and common bile duct was higher in the group of higher serumamylase level.