Final answer:
To assess acute pancreatitis, doctors use a combination of blood tests, including enzyme levels and CBC; imaging like CT scans and abdominal ultrasound; and special pancreatic function tests like the secretin-pancreozymin test and the pancreolauryl test.
Step-by-step explanation:
To assess acute pancreatitis, several criteria are used, encompassing blood tests, imaging, and functionality assays. Blood tests are pivotal in evaluating the function of the pancreas and neighboring organs like the liver and gallbladder. Particularly, enzymes such as amylase and lipase are hallmark indicators of pancreatic inflammation. Accompanying tests may include the Lundh test, fecal chymotrypsin, fecal pancreatic elastase, and fecal fat excretion to assess exocrine pancreatic function.
Imaging techniques, such as a CT scan with contrast dye and an abdominal ultrasound, also play a crucial role. The CT scan helps assess the pancreas's health, identifying complications such as fluid accumulation, abscesses, or pancreatic pseudocysts. Through abdominal ultrasound, gallstones that might obstruct pancreatic fluid outflow can be detected.
In addition to liver function tests (LFTs) and checks of blood amylase or lipase levels, a complete blood count (CBC) may be used to detect infection, as indicated by an increased white blood cell count. The pancreolauryl test (PLT) can help detect moderate pancreatic insufficiency by measuring serum concentrations of specific metabolized substances after a standard meal.
Advanced diagnostics include the secretin-pancreozymin test, which analyses duodenal contents for pancreatic enzyme concentration and bicarbonate output after an intravenous injection of secretin and pancreozymin. Furthermore, an endoscopic ultrasound may be employed to detect gallstones and diagnose severe pancreatitis.