Diagnostic accuracy of contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) in detection of necrosis in acute pancreatitis by taking surgical findings as gold standard.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced computed tomography in the detection of necrosis in acute pancreatitis by taking surgical findings as the gold standard.

METHODS

The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Radiology and Surgery departments of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from January 1 to June 30, 2016, and comprised patients of either gender having severe clinical pancreatitis with symptoms lasting >72 hours without showing improvement. Computed tomography scan was performed with slice thickness of 3mm. Multiple detector scan of abdomen with contrast was done. Data was analysed using SPSS 19.

RESULTS

Of the 191 patients, 97 (50.8%) were female, and 129 (67.50%) were aged >40 years, with an overall mean age of 39.65±11.67 years. Mean duration of the symptoms was 85.61±6.41 hours. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan's sensitivity was 71.4%, specificity 87%, positive predictive value 83.33%, negative predictive value 76.99% and over all diagnostic accuracy was 79.5%.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced computed tomography was found to be high in detecting necrosis in acute pancreatitis cases.