International Multidisciplinary Consensus Report on Definitions, Diagnostic Criteria, and Management of Fatty Pancreas: A Joint Statement Endorsed by EPC, APA, EASD, EASL, ESGAR, ESGE, ESP, ESPCG, ESPEN, ESPGHAN, IAP, JPS, KPBA, LAPSG, and UEG

This international, multidisciplinary consensus report represents the first effort to systematically define and characterize fatty pancreas. A key outcome of this endeavor was the recommendation to adopt "fatty pancreas" as the standardized and inclusive term to describe all forms of fat accumulation in the pancreas. This terminological consensus provides a critical foundation for unified reporting and clinical communication. Another major contribution of the report is the consensus on diagnostic imaging findings, which was based on radiological and endoscopic modalities. The proposed criteria aim to enhance consistency in clinical assessment and support the development of standardized research protocols. In addition to establishing terminology and diagnostic frameworks, the report also synthesizes current knowledge across a wide range of relevant domains. These include the etiology and epidemiology of fatty pancreas, as well as its associations with alcohol consumption, smoking, acute and chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and surgical outcomes. The potential links between fatty pancreas and neoplastic conditions such as intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and pancreatic cancer are also addressed, alongside the current understanding of its metabolic implications (beta-cell function and glucose homeostasis) and treatment strategies. Throughout the consensus process, a consistent theme emerged: the limited availability of high-quality, prospective clinical data. Therefore, many of the recommendations in this report are based on expert consensus rather than strong empirical evidence. As such, the statements require rigorous prospective validation before they can be adopted into routine clinical practice. This underscores a critical need for further research, particularly studies aimed at clarifying causal relationships, validating diagnostic tools, and determining the clinical relevance of fatty pancreas across diverse patient populations. This report serves as both a summary of our current understanding and a roadmap for future investigations, aiming to close existing knowledge gaps and guide evidence-based clinical practice in this emerging field.

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Publication Details

Journal
United European Gastroenterology Journal
Published
2026-02-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ueg2.70185
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Pancreatitis Pathology and Treatment
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
39.15

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article

International Multidisciplinary Consensus Report on Definitions, Diagnostic Criteria, and Management of Fatty Pancreas: A Joint Statement Endorsed by EPC, APA, EASD, EASL, ESGAR, ESGE, ESP, ESPCG, ESPEN, ESPGHAN, IAP, JPS, KPBA, LAPSG, and UEG

Min Je Sung, A. Farine Sarasqueta, Nikola Panić, Martin Heni et al.
1 citations
United European Gastroenterology Journal
Pancreatitis Pathology and Treatment
39.15
article

International Multidisciplinary Consensus Report on Definitions, Diagnostic Criteria, and Management of Fatty Pancreas: A Joint Statement Endorsed by EPC, APA, EASD, EASL, ESGAR, ESGE, ESP, ESPCG, ESPEN, ESPGHAN, IAP, JPS, KPBA, LAPSG, and UEG

Min Je Sung, A. Farine Sarasqueta, Nikola Panić, Martin Heni, N. B. Gubergrits, Muşturay Karçaaltıncaba, Enrique de‐Madaria, M. Loveček, Ivonne Regel, İlkay Sedakat İdilman, Etna Masip, Lenka Nosáková, Stuart Robinson, J. Laukkarinen, Analía V. Pasqua, Felicia Gerst, Michael Wilschanski, Jonas Rosendahl, Jérôme Cros, Katarzyna Monika Pawlak, Güralp Onur Ceyhan, Roy Taylor, Miroslav Vujasinović, M. Kitano, Mariia Kiriukova, Anders Molven, Mónika Lipp, Minoti V. Apte, G. Zamboni, Verena Carola Obmann, Marc E. Martignoni, Mario Peláez‐Luna, İhsan Ekin Demir, T. L. Mozhynа, Vijay Kumar Singh, László Czakó, Andrada Seicean, E G Jonas, M. Smits, Heiko Witt, Jong Jin Hyun, Jens Brøndum Frøkjær, Livia Archibugi, Aslihan Yavas, Albrecht Neesse, Daniele Piovani, Sven Francque, Johann Ockenga, R Wagner, J. Enrique Dominguez‐Muñoz, Rickmer Braren, Kasper Overbeek, Antanas Gulbinas, Pramod Garg, Vinciane Rebours, Caroline S. Verbeke, Anne Couvelard, Peter Hegyi, Ibrahim Halil Gürcinar, Roberto Valente, Trond Engjom, Daniel Öhlund, Asbjørn Mohr Drewes, Giovanni Marchegiani, Sanjay Pandanaboyana, Julio Iglesias‐Garcia, J. Matthias Löhr, Manil Dinesh Chouhan, Patrick Maisonneuve, Gabriele Capurso, Sara Regnér, Brigitta Teutsch, Mihaela Udrescu, Georgios Papachristou, Aleksander Krag, Isabelle Scheers, Daniel de la Iglesia, Matteo Tacelli, Stefania Bunduc
article en
1 citations

Abstract

This international, multidisciplinary consensus report represents the first effort to systematically define and characterize fatty pancreas. A key outcome of this endeavor was the recommendation to adopt "fatty pancreas" as the standardized and inclusive term to describe all forms of fat accumulation in the pancreas. This terminological consensus provides a critical foundation for unified reporting and clinical communication. Another major contribution of the report is the consensus on diagnostic imaging findings, which was based on radiological and endoscopic modalities. The proposed criteria aim to enhance consistency in clinical assessment and support the development of standardized research protocols. In addition to establishing terminology and diagnostic frameworks, the report also synthesizes current knowledge across a wide range of relevant domains. These include the etiology and epidemiology of fatty pancreas, as well as its associations with alcohol consumption, smoking, acute and chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and surgical outcomes. The potential links between fatty pancreas and neoplastic conditions such as intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and pancreatic cancer are also addressed, alongside the current understanding of its metabolic implications (beta-cell function and glucose homeostasis) and treatment strategies. Throughout the consensus process, a consistent theme emerged: the limited availability of high-quality, prospective clinical data. Therefore, many of the recommendations in this report are based on expert consensus rather than strong empirical evidence. As such, the statements require rigorous prospective validation before they can be adopted into routine clinical practice. This underscores a critical need for further research, particularly studies aimed at clarifying causal relationships, validating diagnostic tools, and determining the clinical relevance of fatty pancreas across diverse patient populations. This report serves as both a summary of our current understanding and a roadmap for future investigations, aiming to close existing knowledge gaps and guide evidence-based clinical practice in this emerging field.

United European Gastroenterology JournalVol. 14(1)
Semmelweis University (HU), University of Verona (IT), Oslo University Hospital (NO), St. Michael's Hospital (CA), Military Medical Academy (RS), Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc (BE), Karolinska University Hospital (SE), Humanitas University (IT), University of Padua (IT), Radboud University Nijmegen (NL), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (IT), Inserm (FR), Universität Hamburg (DE), Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy (RO), The University of Queensland (AU), Tampere University (FI), Délégation Paris 7 (FR), University of Southern Denmark (DK), Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University (UA), Malmö University (SE), Wakayama Medical University (JP), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (ES), Tohoku University (JP), Université Paris Cité (FR), Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy (RO), Kharkiv State University of Food Technology and Trade (UA), University of Szeged (HU), Hôpital Beaujon (FR), Hadassah Medical Center (IL), Aalborg University Hospital (DK), Haukeland University Hospital (NO), University Hospital of Bern (CH), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ES), Odense University Hospital (DK), Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GB), Princess Alexandra Hospital (AU), Freeman Hospital (GB), Erasmus MC (NL), Groote Schuur Hospital (ZA), Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires (AR), TUM Klinikum (DE), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (US), Radboud University Medical Center (NL), Karolinska Institutet (SE), LMU Klinikum (DE), Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe (ES), Ansan University (KR), Klaipėda University (LT), Moscow Clinical Scientific Center (RU), Düsseldorf University Hospital (DE), Zug Cantonal Hospital (CH), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago (ES), Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (FR), Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (MX), University Hospital Center Dr Dragiša Mišović (RS), Antwerp University Hospital (BE), Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda (ES), University Hospital Olomouc (CZ), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE), Universitätsmedizin Göttingen (DE), University Children's Hospital Tübingen (DE), Tampere University Hospital (FI), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (ES), Tampere University (FI), Centro Diagnostico Italiano (IT), CHA University Bundang Medical Center (KR), Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (DE), Hospital General Universitario de Alicante Doctor Balmis (ES), Skåne University Hospital (SE), Ingham Institute (AU), Kent Hastanesi (TR), Mayo Clinic in Florida (US), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (ES), Centre for Inflammation Research (GB), Amsterdam University Medical Centers (NL), Deutsches Diabetes-Zentrum e.V. (DE), University Hospital in Halle (DE), Klinikum Bremen-Mitte (DE), Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IT), University Hospital Ulm (DE), Resonance Research (United States) (US), German Center for Diabetes Research (DE), Institutul Clinic Fundeni (RO), IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital (IT), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico San Raffaele (IT), Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (DE), University of Bergen (NO), European Institute of Oncology (IT), Technical University of Munich (DE), Western Sydney University (AU), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (IN), Hacettepe University (TR), Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (DE), University of Göttingen (DE), Comenius University Bratislava (SK), University of Pecs (HU), Pomeranian Medical University (PL), University of Tübingen (DE), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE), University of Amsterdam (NL), Aalborg University (DK), Umeå University (SE), University of Colorado Denver (US)
European Association for the Study of Diabetes
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 1%
Pancreatitis Pathology and Treatment
39.15
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