Intraluminal duodenal diverticulum causing acute pancreatitis: CT scan diagnosis and review of the literature

Background: Intraluminal duodenal diverticulum is a rare congenital anomaly. First described by Boyd in 1845, no more than 100 cases have been reported up to now: only 17 are associated with acute pancreatitis. Methods: A new case of intraluminal duodenal diverticulum with acute pancreatitis is reported and the literature about this association reviewed. Results: The diagnosis was made by helical CT scan. The pathogenesis of pancreatitis was possibly due to a pure duodenal content reflux through the papilla of Vater. The patient was successfully treated by surgery. Conclusions: Intraluminal duodenal diverticulum is a rare but curable cause of pancreatitis, usually affecting young people. We describe, for the first time, its unusual helical CT imaging with two-dimensional reformations. Copyright (C) 2000 S, Karger AG, Basel.