title: Early diagnosis and classification in acute pancreatitis. A comparison of clinical outcome with findings at computed tomography and Ranson's prognostic signs.
abstract: The clinical outcome in 52 consecutive episodes of suspected acute pancreatitis was compared with Ranson's prognostic signs and findings on noncontrast and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans performed within 24 h of patient admission. The predictive value of CT scan for diagnosis was 95% for positive results and 53% for negative results. In providing an accurate prognosis of a single attack, scoring of extrapancreatic signs was as good as that of Ranson's prognostic signs. CT with contrast medium revealed pancreatic ischaemia in 3 cases of 4 with clinically severe disease. The risk of developing severe pancreatitis was 23% in first attacks and 6% in relapses. Early CT scan is recommended in most patients with suspected pancreatitis to confirm diagnosis and to predict the severity of an attack.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Lund, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hjelmqvist
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wattsgård
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borgström
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lasson
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nyman
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aspelin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohlsson
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011379:Prognosis; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed