| [ Summary ] |
New clinical diagnostic criteria for chronic pancreatitis were published by the Japan Pancreas Society on May 9, 1995. In these new criteria (Criteria 1995), the characteristic CT findings for chronic pancreatitis have been confined to two definite or probable observations. The observation of definite chronic pancreatitis, associated with pancreatic stones is evidenced by intrapancreatic calcifications, and the finding of probable chronic pancreatitis with pancreatic deformities having irregular contours. Other findings, such as pancreatic swelling, pancreatic atrophy, pancreatic duct dilatations and cyst formation, which were adopted in the old criteria for chronic pancreatitis made by the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology in 1983 (Criteria 1983), are often found similarly in both pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis. These findings were thought to be infrequent specificity in the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. So, in Criteria 1995, they were deleted. |