Acute Pancreatitis Diagnosis

When making an acute pancreatitis diagnosis, a doctor will ask about a person's medical history, do a physical exam, and order a blood test and possibly imaging tests. During attacks of acute pancreatitis, the blood contains at least three times more amylase and lipase than usual; doctors will look for these increased levels when making a diagnosis. When diagnosing acute pancreatitis, a doctor may also order an abdominal ultrasound to look for gallstones and a CAT scan (also known as CT scan or computerized axial tomography) to look for inflammation or destruction of the pancreas.