Original Articles
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1998. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 15, 1998; 4(2): 150-152
Published online Apr 15, 1998. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v4.i2.150
ERCP and CT diagnosis of pancreas divisum and its relation to etiology of chronic pancreatitis
Wei-Fu Lu
Wei-Fu Lu, Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA 254 Hospital, Tianjin 300142, China
Wei-Fu Lu, male, born on 1964-03-06 in Hefei City, Anhui Province, graduated from the Third Military Medical University as a postgraduate in 1990, Director of Radiology Department, Associate Professor of Medical College of Nankai University, having 36 papers published, won a second class award for the military sciences technolo-gy advances in 1997.
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Wei-Fu Lu, Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA 254 Hospital, Tianjin 300142, China
Telephone: +86·22·26279349
Received: November 10, 1997
Revised: December 20, 1997
Accepted: January 4, 1998
Published online: April 15, 1998
Abstract

AIM: To inquire into the ERCP and CT features of pancreas divisum (PD) and its role in the etiology of chronic pancreatitis.

METHODS: Fourteen patients with PD were analyzed in regard to the findings in ERCP and CT, the activities of serum amylase and the incidence of pancreatitis. Dorsal ductography via minor papilla cannulation was performed in six of them.

RESULTS: The length of dorsal and ventral pancre-atic duct was 16.56 cm ± 2.52 cm and 5.55 cm ± 1.46 cm. Most of the patients had dilatation of dorsal (10/14) and ventral (8/14) duct and the stenosis of dorsal duct terminal (10/14). Delayed clearance of contrast in dorsal duct was found in 8 patients. The size and contour of the pancreas were normal in all the patients at conventional CT. Pan-creatitis was identified in 13 patients.

CONCLUSION: Dorsal ductography was necessary in the diagnosis of PD. Conventional CT play little role in the diagnosis of PD. Patients with PD run a higher risk of pancreatitis due to the stenosis of the minor papilla.

Keywords: pancreatitis/etiology; pancreas divisum/radiography; cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic retrograde; pancreatitis/diagnosis; chronic diseases; amylases/blood; pancreatic ducts/radiography