MRCP: A Reliable, Non Invasive Method for Staging Chronic Pancreatitis in Pediatrics

Introduction/Methods: Pancreatic fibrosis is the end stage of chronic pancreatitis (CP), which leads to loss of acinar volume and secretory capacity, and ultimately pancreatic insufficiency (PI). CP and congenital PI affect the pediatric population, and are both increasingly recognized in children. PI has serious negative implications on a child's growth and health but, if diagnosed early, PI can be treated, minimizing the detrimental effects of PI. Currently, direct pancreatic function testing (PFT) via collection of pancreatic fluid is the "gold standard" for diagnosis of PI but it is an invasive testing that may require sedation or general anesthesia. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) with secretin administration (MR-PFT) and MR elastography (MRE) may allow non-invasive, and potentially early diagnosis of CP and PI. Currently, however, normative data with which to compare MR-PFT and MRE results in pediatric patients with suspected CP/PI is not available. Aims: The investigators propose to determine the normal range for secreted pancreatic fluid volume in response to secretin administration and determine the normal range for pancreatic parenchymal stiffness in a pediatric population that is not affected by pancreatic disease. To date, the investigators have validated their MRCP technique and have successfully performed both MR-PFT and MRE in CP patients; however normative data is essential for validation of our non-invasive technique.