title: Staging of severity and prognosis of acute pancreatitis by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging-a comparative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Determination of severity of acute pancreatitis is important to determine prognosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  (1) the staging of acute pancreatitis by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, (2) the correlation of computed tomography and magnetic resonance severity indices and 3) the correlation of magnetic resonance severity index with C-reactive protein, Ranson score, duration of hospitalization and clinical outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five patients (median age: 64 (27-89)) were studied. Twenty-two patients had biliary acute pancreatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The following examinations were conducted: (1) computed tomography 48 h, 7 and 30 days after admission, (2) magnetic resonance imaging 7 and 30 days after admission, (3) C-reactive protein and 4) Ranson score. Clinical outcome was determined on a scale 0-3 (0: remission, 1: local complications, 2: systemic complications, 3: death).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six of 35 patients (17%) had necrotizing acute pancreatitis. Fifteen of 35 patients (43%) had severe acute pancreatitis according to Ranson criteria. A significant correlation was noted between magnetic resonance severity index and C-reactive protein (r=0.419, p<0.005), Ranson score (r=0.431, p<0.05), duration of hospitalization (r=0.497, p<0.01) and clinical outcome (r=0.420, p<0.05). Comparison of the imaging methods showed a significant correlation between magnetic resonance severity index and computed tomography severity index (r=0.887, p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Magnetic resonance imaging is of comparable diagnostic and prognostic value with computed tomography in the staging of acute pancreatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Erasme University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. maarvani@ulb.ac.be
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arvanitakis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koustiani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gantzarou
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grollios
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsitouridis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haritandi-Kouridou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dimitriadis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arvanitakis
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed