Gallstone Pancreatitis

Fig. 1 & 2. Axial and coronal reformatted CT images of a 43-year-old woman who presented with acute epigastric pain and elevated lipase. There is enlarged pancreas with peripancreatic fat stranding (red arrows). Multiple calcified stones are seen in the dilated common bile duct (blue arrows).

Facts:

• Gallstones = most common cause of acute pancreatitis (Western countries)
  
• Most stones in common bile duct are from passing of gallstones 
  
• CT can confirm diagnosis of pancreatitis, detect complications of pancreatitis, demonstrate causes of pancreatitis (CBD stone, neoplasm) and exclude other abdominal emergencies

Reference:

Attasaranya S, Fogel EL, Lehman GA. Choledocholithiasis, ascending cholangitis, and gallstone pancreatitis. Med Clin N Am 2008 (July 2008)