Unveiling the Unexpected: Co-occurrence of Acute Pancreatitis and Riedel’s Lobe

TL;DR

A rare case of a liver variant called Riedel's lobe was found alongside acute pancreatitis in a 47-year-old man.

Contribution

This case highlights the incidental discovery of Riedel's lobe during acute pancreatitis diagnosis.

Findings

Riedel's lobe was identified via CT scan in a patient with alcohol-related acute pancreatitis.

The liver variant was non-palpable and caused an increased anterior liver diameter.

Such anatomical variants can complicate differential diagnosis in clinical settings.

Abstract

Riedel's lobe is a rare anatomical variant of the liver, more often being diagnosed incidentally, with the patient being investigated for other underlying pathology. As regards acute pancreatitis, this represents one of the most treated diseases worldwide in gastroenterology with a variable severity and outcome. Here, we report a case of a non-palpable Riedel's lobe in a 47-year-old man, smoker, and chronic alcohol consumer, who presented to the hospital with epigastric pain radiating in the right hypochondrium, accompanied by nausea. Based on his clinical examination, laboratory, and imaging findings, he was admitted in the gastroenterology department with the diagnosis of alcohol-related acute pancreatitis. The computed tomography scan emphasized the presence of Riedel's lobe, causing an increased anterior diameter of the liver. Riedel's lobe is, in most cases, an unforeseen radiologic disclosure, which can remain clinically latent, or it can raise confusion regarding the differential diagnosis.

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