title: Chronic pancreatitis: A diagnostic dilemma.
abstract: Typical clinical symptoms of chronic pancreatitis are vague and non-specific and therefore diagnostic tests are required, none of which provide absolute diagnostic certainly, especially in the early stages of disease. Recently-published guidelines bring much needed structure to the diagnostic work-up of patients with suspected chronic pancreatitis. In addition, novel diagnostic modalities bring promise for the future. The assessment and diagnosis of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency remains challenging and this review contests the accepted perspective that steatorrhea only occurs with > 90% destruction of the gland.
authors.affiliation: Sinead N Duggan, Hazel M Ní Chonchubhair, Oladapo Lawal, Donal B O'Connor, Kevin C Conlon, Professorial Surgical Unit, Department of Surgery, Trinity College Dublin, Centre for Pancreatico-Biliary Diseases, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, Tallaght Hospital, 24 Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Sinead N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Duggan
authors.affiliation: Sinead N Duggan, Hazel M Ní Chonchubhair, Oladapo Lawal, Donal B O'Connor, Kevin C Conlon, Professorial Surgical Unit, Department of Surgery, Trinity College Dublin, Centre for Pancreatico-Biliary Diseases, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, Tallaght Hospital, 24 Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Hazel M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Ní Chonchubhair
authors.affiliation: Sinead N Duggan, Hazel M Ní Chonchubhair, Oladapo Lawal, Donal B O'Connor, Kevin C Conlon, Professorial Surgical Unit, Department of Surgery, Trinity College Dublin, Centre for Pancreatico-Biliary Diseases, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, Tallaght Hospital, 24 Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Oladapo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lawal
authors.affiliation: Sinead N Duggan, Hazel M Ní Chonchubhair, Oladapo Lawal, Donal B O'Connor, Kevin C Conlon, Professorial Surgical Unit, Department of Surgery, Trinity College Dublin, Centre for Pancreatico-Biliary Diseases, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, Tallaght Hospital, 24 Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Donal B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.affiliation: Sinead N Duggan, Hazel M Ní Chonchubhair, Oladapo Lawal, Donal B O'Connor, Kevin C Conlon, Professorial Surgical Unit, Department of Surgery, Trinity College Dublin, Centre for Pancreatico-Biliary Diseases, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, Tallaght Hospital, 24 Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Conlon
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D010186:Pancreatic Function Tests / Q000592:standards; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
keywords: Diagnosis; Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency; Malabsorption; Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy; Pancreatitis, chronic