Evaluation of serum feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity and helical computed tomography versus conventional testing for the diagnosis of feline pancreatitis

• Published in: Journal of veterinary internal medicine 2004-11, Vol.18 (6), p.807-815
• Main Authors: Forman, M.A, Marks, S.L, De Cock, H.E.V, Hergesell, E.J, Wisner, E.R, Baker, T.W, Kass, P.H, Steiner, J.M, Williams, D.A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Case-Control Studies; Cat Diseases - blood; Cat Diseases - diagnosis; Cat Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Cats; Computed tomography; disease diagnosis; Female; Histopathology; Lipase - blood; Male; Pancreas; Pancreas - diagnostic imaging; Pancreas - enzymology; Pancreatitis - diagnosis; Pancreatitis - veterinary; Predictive Value of Tests; Radioimmunoassay - veterinary; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - veterinary; triacylglycerol lipase; Trypsinogen - blood; Trypsinogen-like immunoreactivity; ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0891-6640; 1939-1676
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2004.tb02626.x

Serum feline trypsinogen‐like immunoreactivity (fTLI) concentrations and abdominal ultrasound have facilitated the noninvasive diagnosis of pancreatitis in cats, but low sensitivities (33% and 20–35%, respectively) have been reported. A radioimmunoassay has been validated to measure feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (fPLI), but the assay's sensitivity and specificity have not been established. In human beings, the sensitivity of computed tomography (CT) is high (75–90%), but in a study of 10 cats, only 2 had CT changes suggestive of pancreatitis. We prospectively evaluated these diagnostic tests in cats with and without pancreatitis. In all cats, serum was obtained for fTLI and fPLI concentrations, and pancreatic ultrasound images and biopsies were acquired. Serum fPLI concentrations (P