Description

Stones can occur in the pancreatic duct in a variety of disorders.


 

Pancreatic duct lithiasis can be related to:

(1) familial stone formation (hereditary lithiasis)

(2) secondary to chronic pancreatitis (most common cause)

(3) secondary to intraductal papillary-mucinous tumor

(4) possibly malnutrition (although pancreatic disease can cause malabsorption which can cause malnutrition)

 

Clinical and radiologic findings:

(1) recurrent episodes of pancreatitis

(2) stone visualized on imaging studies (most are calcium-rich but some are radiolucent)

 

Reasons to consider hereditary stone formation:

(1) family history

(2) initial diagnosis at a young age

(3) no history of chronic pancreatitis

 

Hereditary pancreatic stone formation needs to be distinguished from hereditary pancreatitis with secondary stone formation.

 


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