Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

| A | | B | | C | | D | | E | | F | | G | | H | | I | | J | | K | | L | | M |
| N | | O | | P | | Q | | R | | S | | T | | U | | V | | W | | X | | Y |

Diagnosis of Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is usually diagnosed with a blood test that shows the rise in the pancreatic enzymes in the blood. Both the starch-splitting enzyme amylase and the fat-splitting enzyme lipase are increased in cases of acute pancreatitis.

In chronic pancreatitis, a short period of jaundice usually occurs. An X-ray or CT scan shows that the pancreas is full of cysts, many of them filled with chalky stones.