American Board of Pathology (ABPath) Practice Test

Chronic pancreatitis is characterized by long-standing inflammation of the pancreas, leading to irreversible damage and functional impairment. When imaging of the pancreas shows signs suggestive of chronic disease, such as calcifications, ductal dilation, cyst formation, or atrophy of the pancreatic parenchyma, it strongly indicates chronic pancreatitis.

This condition typically results from repeated episodes of acute inflammation, long-term alcohol abuse, genetic factors, or other underlying health issues. The changes observed on imaging reflect this chronic inflammation and remodeling of the pancreatic tissue over time.

In contrast, acute pancreatitis usually presents with different imaging findings that indicate sudden inflammation rather than the chronic sequelae observed in chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatic cancer may show localized masses or unusual ductal presentations but would not typically exhibit the diffuse changes characteristic of chronic pancreatitis. Autoimmune pancreatitis can mimic chronic pancreatitis on imaging but is usually associated with specific clinical features and serological markers that differentiate it from true chronic disease.