The Colon Cutoff Sign: The Internist’s Perspective on Diagnosing Acute Pancreatitis

The colon cutoff sign is a radiographic sign often associated with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. The patient highlighted in this case presented with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal discomfort and was referred with a diagnosis of viral gastroenteritis. The abdominal radiograph demonstrated the colon cutoff sign, but all other biochemical and imaging modalities were within normal limits. This case highlights the importance of relying on the entire clinical assessment when diagnosing pathology.