Gastrointestinal Imaging

Trauma, pancreatic

Pancreatic trauma may be caused by blunt or penetrating injury. Due to its retroperitoneal location, signs and symptoms of pancreatic injury can be vague and/or misleading. It is important to look for hyperamylasaemia, bearing in mind that the degree of elevation of the serum amylase is a poor indication of the extent of pancreatic injury. Cross-sectional imaging may show diffuse or focal swelling of the pancreas similar to that seen in pancreatitis. In transection and laceration there may be inhomogeneous enhancement after intravenous contrast injection.

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