Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in asymptomatic pancreatic hyperenzymemia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the type and frequency of pancreatic lesions detected by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in subjects with asymptomatic pancreatic hyperenzymemia and to assess for a possible relationship between these lesions and the hyperenzymemia.


METHODS
From January 2005 to May 2008, 63 subjects with asymptomatic pancreatic hyperenzymemia were studied by MRCP. In addition, amylase, pancreatic isoamylase, and lipase were determined for 5 consecutive days.


RESULTS
In most subjects (n = 57, 90.5%), MRCP showed a normal pancreas. In the remaining 6 subjects (9.5%), the following alterations were found: pancreas divisum in 2, small intrapancreatic cyst in 2, anatomic variant of the Wirsung in 1, and mild dilatation of 3 secondary ducts in 1. In these 6 subjects, hyperenzymemia was highly variable from day to day, with frequent normalizations, as was also true for the 30 subjects with no MRCP alterations in whom diurnal enzyme determinations were made.


CONCLUSIONS
Most of the subjects with asymptomatic pancreatic hyperenzymemia did not have pancreatic lesions detectable by MRCP. In the few subjects in whom a lesion was found, the great variability and the frequent transient normalization of serum enzyme levels tend to exclude a relation between the lesion and the hyperenzymemia.
Gullo
Lucio
L
Institute of Internal Medicine, Sant'Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. lucio.gullo@unibo.it
Lucrezio
Laura
L
Calculli
Lucia
L
Salizzoni
Eugenio
E
Coe
Manuela
M
Migliori
Marina
M
Casadei
Riccardo
R
Costa
Pier Lorenzo
PL
Nesticò
Vincenzo
V
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood*; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007517:Isoamylase / Q000097:blood*; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
D008049:Lipase; D000681:Amylases; D007517:Isoamylase