title: Acute pancreatitis: the role of diagnostic imaging.
abstract: In the U.S., acute pancreatitis is usually caused by excessive consumption of ethanol or by biliary stone disease. Major pathologic finding and complications include fluid collections within the organ or the adjacent peripancreatic tissues, pseudocysts, pancreatic necrosis, pseudoaneurysm, and abscess formation. Radiologic imaging, including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), sonography, and computed tomography (CT), are important in the evaluation of acute pancreatitis and its complications. CT in particular also aids in grading the severity of acute pancreatitis and in predicting complications and mortality; however, CT correlation with Ranson's clinical prognostic factors or with other classification systems is less clear. The imaging and therapeutic aspects of acute pancreatitis are discussed and illustrated and prognostic factors are correlated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C 27157-1088, USA.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Dalzell
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Scharling
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Ott
authors.forename: N T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Wolfman
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000592:standards; D014463:Ultrasonography