Abstract
Althoug pancreatic steatosis has been known for a decades, it attracts more attention in recent years, especially in the context of the increasing incidence of obesity and metabolic syndrome, with which it is undoubtedly closely related. The link can be also found with the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, pancreatic exocrine dysfunction, acute pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and for example with the formation of pancreatic fistula after surgery of the pancreas.
In the literature many synonyms are used for the findings of fat accumulation in the pancreas such as pancreas steatosis, pancreatic lipomatosis, lipomatous pseudohypertrophy, nonalcoholic fatty disease, fatty infiltration, and further, which can be quite confusing. Uniform nomenclature has not been established yet.
The following review presents basic informations on the topic of the etiological factors and possible clinical consequences of pancreatic steatosis.