Progression of radiological changes in relapsing and chronic pancreatitis.

Progression of radiological changes was noted in 19 (22.1%) of 86 cases of relapsing or chronic pancreatitis followed by serial pancreatograms. The initial feature of chronic pancreatitis was focal minimal pancreatitis, characterized by an irregular dilatation of several side branches on the pancreatogram. Some patients with focal minimal pancreatitis demonstrated progression of the extent and severity of changes only in side branches while others progressed further to moderate or advanced chronic pancreatitis showing changes in the main pancreatic duct. Most of the progressive cases were alcoholic, and some showed progression to advanced pancreatitis within 4 years. Rapid progression of radiological changes was associated with relapses of acute pancreatitis. No remarkable changes were observed in many non-alcoholic patients, whereas some cases complicated with gallstones showed progression of disease in the side branches during a follow-up period of 3-7 years.