Enzyme measurements in the investigation of pancreatic diseases

Abstract

Because of the location of the pancreas deep in the abdominal cavity, laboratory tests play a major role in the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases. Amylase and lipase determinations in serum are most frequently performed and they complement each other. However, false positive and false negative results are observed. In order to increase the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests, urine amylase determinations, measurements of the CAmyl Ccreat ratio and amylase isoenzyme determinations are performed. The benefits of these procedures and their limitations will be discussed. The increased sensitivity and specificity of immunoreactive trypsin determinations and contributions of this test to the early diagnosis of pancreatic disease will be described. This test seems to have some usefulness in the early diagnosis of cancer, together with the secretin and pancreozymine-cholecystokinin test and the test for ribonuclease activity in serum.