title: Pancreatic and Extrapancreatic Features in Autoimmune Pancreatitis.
abstract: Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) accounts for approximately 5% of chronic pancreatitis cases and is an important consideration in the differential diagnosis of pancreatic pathologies. The underlying pathophysiology of AIP is thought to involve lymphocyte infiltration and associated sclerosis. Although AIP is a benign condition that is treatable with corticosteroids, it can have imaging and clinical findings indistinguishable from pancreatic cancer. As such, the radiologist plays an important management role in distinguishing AIP from more sinister conditions. In addition, there are several extrapancreatic imaging findings in the context of AIP that have been recently described. This pictorial review outlines both the pancreatic and extrapancreatic imaging features in AIP and the response to steroid therapy. Important imaging features that allow AIP to be differentiated from other pancreatic pathology, including adenocarcinoma, lymphoma, and acute pancreatitis will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kozoriz
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Tracy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Chandler
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Roshni
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Charles V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Zwirewich
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Electronic address: Alison.Harris@vch.ca.
authors.forename: Alison C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006801:Humans; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*
keywords: Autoimmune pancreatitis; IgG4; Pancreatic adenocarcinoma; Pancreatitis