ANSA PANCREATICA- A RARE PANCREATIC DUCTAL VARIATION

INTRODUCTION : With recent advances in radiological imaging techniques, a wide spectrum of anomalies of the pancreas, the pancreatic ductal system and the biliary tree are commonly encountered at radiologic evaluation. Ansa pancreatica is a rare type of anatomical variation of the pancreatic ductal system. There is a variation in the communication between the main pancreatic duct of Wirsung and the accessory pancreatic duct of Santorini. The ansa pancreatica arises as a branch duct from the main pancreatic duct; which descends down initially and then ascends upward forming a loop. The looping branch terminates at or near the minor papilla.