[Advances in the diagnosis and therapy of chronic pancreatitis]

Chronic pancreatitis is a permanent diagnostic and therapeutic problem. There is no method diagnosing early stages of the disease. Contemporary diagnosis is based on morphological methods. The gold standard is ERCP, but similar results are provided also by non-invasive NMR cholangiopancreatography. Ultrasound examination provides reliable information on the presence of cystoids and major solid formations. Spiral CT is the method which by visualizing the pancreatic duct and structural changes is indispensible. Functional tests are in the diagnostic algorithm only marginal. Treatment of the disease involves dietetic provisions, prohibition of alcohol, supplementation with pancreatic enzymes and administration of analgetics. If this treatment fails, endoscopic or surgical solutions are indicated. Chronic pancreatitis is associated with the risk of development of carcinoma of the pancreas and this is another reason why it calls for permanent and systematic dispensarization.