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Fusion and duplication variants of pancreatic duct system

Clinical and pancreatographic evaluation

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Summary

The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of fusion and duplication variants of the pancreatic duct system and their clinical significance. A total of 650 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography were reviewed; 485 cases with satisfactory imaging of the pancreatic ducts were included in the study. Anatomic variants were observed in 48 patients (9.9%), fusion variants were 54.1% of the cases (22 pancreas divisum and 4 functional divisum), and duplication variants were 45.8% (13 bifurcations of the main pancreatic duct, 4 loop, 2N-shape, 3 ring). Clinical indications to endoscopic cholangiopancreatography were idiopathic acute pancreatitis (33.3%), suspected chronic pancreatitis (18.7%), unexplained abdominal pain (14.5%), suspected pancreatic mass (10.4%), chronic hyperamylasemia (6.2%), and acute biliary pancreatitis (16.6%). Except for acute biliary pancreatitis (significantly more frequent in duplication variants), no statistical difference was observed between the groups with anatomical variants concerning clinical features.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiology, Cardarelli Hospital, Napoli, Italy

    Luigi D'Anna & Sabato Di Gaeta

  2. Panereatic Disease Centre, Internal Medicine, XXI Div., Cardarelli Hospital, via Cardarelli 9, 80131, Napoli, Italy

    Generoso Uomo, Gianpiero Manes, Marco Laccetti & Pier G. Rabitti

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  1. Generoso Uomo
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  2. Gianpiero Manes
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  3. Luigi D'Anna
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  4. Marco Laccetti
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  5. Sabato Di Gaeta
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  6. Pier G. Rabitti
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Uomo, G., Manes, G., D'Anna, L. et al. Fusion and duplication variants of pancreatic duct system. International Journal of Pancreatology 17, 23–28 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02788355

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02788355

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