Diagnostics (Jul 2023)

Quantitative Edge Analysis of Pancreatic Margins in Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis: A Correlation with Exocrine Function

  • Maria Chiara Ambrosetti,
  • Annamaria Grecchi,
  • Alberto Ambrosetti,
  • Antonio Amodio,
  • Giancarlo Mansueto,
  • Stefania Montemezzi,
  • Giulia A. Zamboni

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13132272
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 13
p. 2272

Abstract

Read online

Background: Many efforts have been made to improve accuracy and sensitivity in diagnosing chronic pancreatitis (CP), obtaining quantitative assessments related to functional data. Our purpose was to correlate a computer-assisted analysis of pancreatic morphology, focusing on glandular margins, with exocrine function—measured by fecal elastase values—in chronic pancreatitis patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed chronic pancreatitis patients who underwent fecal elastase assessment and abdominal MRI in our institute within 1 year. We identified 123 patients divided into three groups based on the fecal elastase value: group A with fecal elastase > 200 μg/g; group B with fecal elastase between 100 and 200 μg/g; and group C with fecal elastase p r = 0.6080). Conclusions: Quantitative edge analysis may stratify chronic pancreatitis patients according to the degree of exocrine insufficiency, potentially contributing to the morphological and functional staging of this pathology.

Keywords