Chronic pancreatitis: prospects for early detection: A review

Over the last 10 years, the incidence of chronic pancreatitis (CP) has increased 4 times and nowadays is about 27.4–50 cases per 100 000 adults. In the outpatient gastroenterologist practice, patients with CP account for about 35–45%, in the hospital gastroenterology department – up to 20–45%. CP criteria according to imaging methods – fibrosis, duct dilatation and deformation, calcifications in the pancreatic parenchyma or its atrophy – are formed at a late stage of the disease. Simultaneously, diagnosis at the early stage with potentially reversible changes remains difficult, due to the lack of clear instrumental and laboratory findings confirming minimal changes in the pancreas. However, some methods in combination with a detailed history taking, risk factors identification in comparison with the clinical features are of interest for the early diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis.