Chronic pancreatitis: diagnostic role of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

The value of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis and detection of complications in patients with chronic pancreatitis are reviewed. CT and MRI diagnoses are based on changes in the pancreatic duct and parenchyma and on the detection of ductal calculi. Despite technical refinements of these imaging methods, the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis remains often difficult because of the complexity of the morphologic changes and the false-negative results in the early stages of the disease. This article describes and illustrates the imaging features of chronic pancreatitis classified according to the underlying etiology.