Pancreatic insufficiency: role of CT evaluation

The medical records of all patients discharged over a 3-year period with a diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency were reviewed. In some patients, abdominal radiographs or sonograms provided adequate information. However, computed tomography (CT) was a key diagnostic tool in understanding the cause of pancreatic insufficiency in 11 of the 13 patients in whom it was performed. CT study detected previously undiagnosed carcinoma in one patient, enabled diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis in five, confirmed complete surgical removal of the pancreas in two, and--despite optimal use of contrast material and 5-mm contiguous sections--was unable to detect any pancreatic tissue in three patients, suggesting complete idiopathic atrophy. Pancreatic insufficiency is a difficult clinical diagnostic problem. CT scanning should be employed early if abdominal radiographs or sonograms do not detect an abnormality.