Pancreatitis Health Center

The pain that people with acute pancreatitis may feel will likely drive them to seek medical help on their own. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of acute or chronic pancreatitis, seek medical help as soon as possible to avoid complications and further internal risk.

If you show signs of pancreatitis, your doctor will likely conduct a physical examination, including a blood test. People with acute pancreatitis typically have at least three times the normal amount of amylase and lipase in their blood. Amylase and lipase are two digestive enzymes normally found within the pancreas.

Sometimes, diagnosing acute pancreatitis can be difficult, as the pancreas is located deep in the abdomen, making testing tough. There are tests available for easier diagnosis:

• Abdominal ultrasound. Sound waves are sent toward the location of the pancreas through a handheld device that is glided over the abdomen. These sound waves proceed to bounce off the pancreas, gallbladder, liver and other internal organs making a sonogram from electrical impulses. If gallstones are causing inflammation, the sound waves will show their location.
• CT scan. This noninvasive x-ray can be used to show gallstones and the extent of damage to the pancreas.
• Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). A solution is sprayed to numb the patient's throat. Then a doctor inserts an endoscope (a thin, flexible lighted tube) down the throat and into the small intestine. An ultrasound is used to produce sound waves creating visual images of the pancreas and bile ducts in order to asses damage.
• Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). An MRCP uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which produces cross-section images of parts of the body. After being lightly sedated, the patient lies in a cylinder-like tube while the technician injects a dye into the patient's veins. This helps to show the doctor the pancreas, gallbladder and pancreatic and bile ducts.

Chronic pancreatitis can sometimes be confused for acute pancreatitis, as both conditions have similar symptoms. Blood testing will not work in the case of chronic pancreatitis because the enzymes sometimes appear normal even when a person has the condition. When the condition is more progressed and severe, malabsorption and diabetes can occur. At this point, the doctor may order blood, urine and stool tests to help in diagnosing the condition and monitor its progression.

In the case of chronic pancreatitis, the doctor may use tests used in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Such tests may include an abdominal ultrasound, CT scan, EUS and MRCP.