What initial investigations are recommended for a patient suspected of having acute pancreatitis?

Initial investigations recommended for a patient suspected of having acute pancreatitis include:

• Blood tests to measure serum lipase or amylase levels, which are usually raised in acute pancreatitis.
• Additional blood tests including liver function tests, renal function tests, and inflammatory markers.
• Imaging such as abdominal ultrasonography to detect gallstones, although it has limited value for pancreatitis itself.
• Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used to confirm pancreatic inflammation if diagnosis is uncertain or to assess severity.

These investigations should be arranged in secondary care after emergency hospital admission and specialist assessment; blood tests or imaging should not delay admission from primary care.