The role of Doppler sonography in predicting severity of acute pancreatitis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of Doppler sonography (DUS) examination of major abdominal arteries in predicting severity of acute pancreatitis (AP).


METHODS
Twenty-nine patients diagnosed with AP and 14 controls were blindly and prospectively evaluated with Doppler sonography. Disease severity was defined clinically according to acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II) score and was classified as severe for APACHE II score > or =8. DUS examination included the measurement of peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), pulsatility index (PI), and resistance index (RI) of the celiac artery (CA) and superior mesenteric artery (SMA). Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney U test, Student t test, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.


RESULTS
Twelve patients had severe AP and 17 had mild AP. PSV, EDV, and PI of the CA and RI of the SMA were higher in the severe AP group than in the mild AP and control groups (p < 0.001 and p < 0.0001, respectively). The sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 94%, respectively, for a 87 cm/second CA PSV cutoff value, 75% and 100%, respectively, for a 22 cm/second CA EDV cutoff value, 92% and 82%, respectively, for a 1.29 CA PI cutoff value, and 100% and 100%, respectively, for a 0.86 SMA RI cutoff value.


CONCLUSIONS
DUS can be useful in predicting the severity of AP in the early period of admission phase of the disease.
Topal
Naile Bolca
NB
Department of Radiology, Uludag University School of Medicine, 16059 Gorukle, Bursa, Turkey.
Kaya
Ekrem
E
Ercan
Ilker
I
Pourbagher
Mir Ali
MA
Topal
Ugur
U
D018806:APACHE; D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002445:Celiac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*