Initial experience with 3D CT cinematic rendering of acute pancreatitis and associated complications

Inflammation of the pancreas can present with a wide range of imaging findings from mild enlargement of the gland and surrounding infiltrative fat stranding through extensive glandular necrosis. Complications of pancreatitis are varied and include infected fluid collections, pseudocysts, and vascular findings such as pseudoaneurysms and thromboses. Cross-sectional imaging with computed tomography (CT) is one of the mainstays of evaluating patients with pancreatitis. New methods that allow novel visualization volumetric CT data may improve diagnostic yield for the detection of findings that provide prognostic information in pancreatitis patients or can drive new avenues of research such as machine learning. Cinematic rendering (CR) is a photorealistic visualization method for volumetric imaging data that are being investigated for a variety of potential applications including the life-like display of complex anatomy and visual characterization of mass lesions. In this review, we describe the CR appearance of different types of pancreatitis and complications of pancreatitis. We also note possible future directions for research into the utility of CR for pancreatitis.