Relationship between functional and histological changes in chronic pancreatitis.

The results of the secretin-CCK test were compared with the histological findings of pancreatic tissue resected in 25 patients with chronic pancreatitis. Secretin-CCK test results were interpreted with the use of discriminant analysis, yielding a quantitative score for each patient. Histological findings were recorded according to a semiquantitative scale. Fairly high correlation coefficients were found between secretin-CCK test results and severity of acinar atrophy and small dilatation. These findings emphasize the importance of the secretin-CCK test for diagnostic and follow-up purposes in chronic pancreatitis.