Pancreas duct abnormalities in patients with ulcerative colitis: a magnetic resonance pancreatography study.
BACKGROUND
The presumed etiology and prevalence of pancreatic abnormalities in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have been controversial. We conducted a controlled (cross-sectional) study of patients with UC compared with non-UC controls to determine the prevalence of pancreatic duct abnormalities in patients with UC and to determine if these are specific to UC using magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography.


METHODS
Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography was performed on 79 unselected patients with UC and 45 non-UC controls, without a history of pancreatitis attack, between February 2000 and May 2003.


RESULTS
Among patients with UC, the prevalence of pancreatic duct abnormalities was 16.4% (95% confidence interval, 8.3%-24.6%): coexisting dilatation and narrowing of the main pancreatic duct were found in 5; diffuse narrowing of pancreatic ducts in 5; and dilatation of pancreatic ductal branches in 3. These abnormalities were compatible with chronic pancreatitis. Among the controls, no pancreatic duct abnormality was found.


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in the pancreatic duct were found in approximately one-sixth of patients with UC, none of whom had a history of overt pancreatitis. These pancreatic duct abnormalities are likely to be specific to patients with UC.
Toda
Nobuo
N
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan. ntoda@med.trokyo-u.ac.jp
Akahane
Masaaki
M
Kiryu
Shigeru
S
Matsubara
Yasuo
Y
Yamaji
Yutaka
Y
Okamoto
Makoto
M
Minagawa
Nobuyuki
N
Ohgi
Kazuyuki
K
Komatsu
Yutaka
Y
Yahagi
Naohisa
N
Yoshida
Haruhiko
H
Kawabe
Takao
T
Ohtomo
Kuni
K
Omata
Masao
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography