title: Detection of exocrine dysfunction by MRI in patients with early chronic pancreatitis.
abstract: To determine if T1-weighted MR signal of the pancreas can be used to detect early CP.
  
  
  
  A retrospective analysis was performed on 51 suspected CP patients, who had both secretin-enhanced magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (S-MRCP) and an intraductal secretin stimulation test (IDST). There were 29 patients in normal and 22 patients in the low bicarbonate group. Bicarbonate level, total pancreatic juice volume, and excretory flow rate were recorded during IDST. Signal intensity ratio of pancreas (SIR), fat signal fraction, pancreatograms findings, and grade of duodenal filling were recorded on S-MRCP by two blinded radiologists.
  
  
  
  There was a significant difference in the signal intensity ratio of the pancreas to spleen (SIRp/s) between the normal and low bicarbonate groups (p < 0.0001). A significant positive correlation was found between pancreatic fluid bicarbonate level and SIRp/s(p < 0.0001). SIRp/sof 1.2 yielded sensitivity of 77% and specificity of 83% for detection of pancreatic exocrine dysfunction (AUC: 0.89).
  
  
  
  T1-weighted MR signal of the pancreas has a high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of parenchymal abnormalities related to exocrine dysfunction and can therefore be helpful in evaluation of suspected early CP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Clinical Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 550 N. University Blvd. Suite 0663, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA. atirkes@iupui.edu.
authors.forename: Temel
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tirkes
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Evan L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Fogel
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Clinical Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 550 N. University Blvd. Suite 0663, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Clinical Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 550 N. University Blvd. Suite 0663, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
authors.forename: Jordan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Swensson
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Clinical Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 550 N. University Blvd. Suite 0663, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Akisik
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Clinical Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 550 N. University Blvd. Suite 0663, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
authors.forename: Kumaresan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sandrasegaran
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000032:analysis; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010189:Pancreatic Juice / Q000737:chemistry; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012633:Secretin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D012633:Secretin
keywords: Chronic pancreatitis; Dysfunction; Exocrine; Magnetic resonance imaging; Secretin stimulation test