[Diagnostic imaging in acute pancreatitis]

With a sensitivity of 90% in the diagnosis of necrotic pancreatic tissue contrast-enhanced computed tomography is the most reliable imaging tool for classifying acute pancreatitis. ERCP is essential for the diagnosis of stones in the common bile duct and in the pancreatic ducts and of tumors of the duodenal papilla and the pancreatic head and thus for clarifying the etiology of acute pancreatitis. Sonography as the only imaging tool would not be sufficient, because its sensitivity for necrotizing pancreatitis is only 33% and stones in the common bile duct are often missed.