Learning objectives
To demonstrate the imaging findings of acute pancreatitis based on the revised Atlanta Classification
To illustrate the various vascular and non-vascular complicationsof pancreatitis
To emphasise the role of the radiologist in the management of patients with pancreatitis
Background
Acute pancreatitis is an acute inflammatory condition with a variety of sequelae which can range from mild to severe.The disease manifests itself in various ways ranging from transient local abdominal discomfort to irreversible systemic complications and,
sometimes,
death.
The Atlanta classification of acute pancreatitis was originally devised in 1992 as a way of differentiating the appearances of the early stages of pancreatitis on imaging particularly based on CT and MRI findings.
This classification represented a great leap forward in the management of pancreatitis as it...
Findings and procedure details
The Atlanta Classification of pancreatitis defines pancreatitis as an acute inflammatory condition which requires at least two of the following criteria for diagnosis,
irrespective of the presence or absence of chronic pancreatitis:
abdominal pain consistent with acute pancreatitis (acute onset of persistent,
severe,
epigastric pain often radiating to the back),
the onset of which indicates the time of onset of disease,
as opposed to the time the patient presents for medical care
serum lipase (or amylase) activity at least three times greater than the upper...
Conclusion
The revised Atlanta classification of pancreatitis is an important tool which allows for standardised reporting and improved communication between the members of the multidisciplinary team thus improving patient outcome.
The radiologist plays an important role in the morphological classification of pancreatitis which is in turn an important factor in guiding management of complicated cases.
CT is the imaging modality of choice to grade the severity of acute pancreatitis and its complications.
MRI can be used as a problem-solving tool,
to elucidate the aetiology of pancreatitis...
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