A santorinicele refers to a cystic dilatation of the end of the dorsal pancreatic duct (duct of Santorini)1,2 and is believed to be analogous to a dilatation of the most distal common bile duct, which is commonly known as a choledochocele3.
It usually occurs in association with pancreas divisum, but has been reported in isolation 5.
Diagnosis is based on morphology and relative dilatation as there is no specific measurement cut-off. Secretin-enhanced MRCP is more sensitive in detecting santoriniceles 6.
Pathology
Because most santoriniceles have been reported in elderly patients, it has been assumed that a santorinicele is most probably an acquired rather than a congenital condition.
1. Manfredi R, Costamagna G, Brizi MG et-al. Pancreas divisum and "santorinicele": diagnosis with dynamic MR cholangiopancreatography with secretin stimulation. Radiology. 2000;217 (2): 403-8. Radiology (full text) - Pubmed citation
2. Leyendecker JR, Elsayes KM, Gratz BI et-al. MR cholangiopancreatography: spectrum of pancreatic duct abnormalities. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2002;179 (6): 1465-71. AJR Am J Roentgenol (full text) - Pubmed citation
3. Nam KD, Joo KR, Jang JY, Kim NH, Lee SK, Dong SH, Kim HJ, Kim BH, Chang YW, Lee JI, Chang R. A case of santorinicele without pancreas divisum: diagnosis with multi-detector row computed tomography. (2006) Journal of Korean medical science. 21 (2): 358-60. doi:10.3346/jkms.2006.21.2.358 - Pubmed
4. Eisen G, Schutz S, Metzler D, Baillie J, Cotton PB. Santorinicele: new evidence for obstruction in pancreas divisum. (1994) Gastrointestinal endoscopy. 40 (1): 73-6. Pubmed
5. Byeon JS, Kim MH, Lee SK, Yang DH, Bae JS, Kim HJ, Lee SS, Seo DW, Min YI. Santorinicele without pancreas divisum. (2003) Gastrointestinal endoscopy. 58 (5): 800-3. Pubmed
6. Boninsegna E, Manfredi R, Ventriglia A, Negrelli R, Pedrinolla B et al. Santorinicele: secretin-enhanced magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography findings before and after minor papilla sphincterotomy. Eur Radiol. 2015;25(8):2437–44
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