Our patient was a 75-year-old Iranian man, admitted to hospital with recurrent upper abdominal pain for the past 18 months. A common bile duct plastic stent had been inserted based on the results of diagnostic investigations, including an obstructive pattern of liver enzyme elevation, dilatation of extra- and intrahepatic bile ducts revealed through ultrasonography and heterogeneity of the pancreatic head (likely due to cancer) in an abdominal spiral CT scan with oral- and venous-contrast media (Figures 1 and 2). No abnormalities were found during a physical examination, with the exception of mild upper abdominal tenderness and vitiligo patches on his neck and hands (Tables 1 and 2).
An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, aimed at controlling the presence of occult blood in his stool, iron deficiency anemia and heartburn, showed lower esophageal ulcers associated with diaphragmatic herniation. A pathologic evaluation of the ulcer biopsy specimens confirmed reflux esophagitis. A colonoscopy was normal. Mild dilatation of his extra- and intrahepatic bile ducts was seen in repeated abdominal ultrasonography procedures. However, an endoscopic ultrasound showed a hypoechoic area, 2 cm in size, in the head of his pancreas. The pathological and cytological results of an aspiration biopsy of the lesion revealed fibrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration without evidence of malignancy (Figures 3 and 4).
Once AIP had been diagnosed, prednisolone was administered. Two months after treatment, a reevaluation of the pancreas head by means of an abdominal spiral CT scan with oral and venous contrast media did not show any abnormality, and the common bile duct stent was removed because of the positive therapeutic response.