Hyperparathyroidism is in fact a cause of acute pancreatitis.

The causes of acute pancreatitis can be remembered with the mnemonic I GET SMASHED:

I: idiopathic

G: gallstones (40%)

E: ethanol (40%)

T: trauma

S: steroid use

M: mumps and malignancy

A: autoimmune

S: scorpion venom

H: hyperparathyroidism, hypercalcaemia, hyperlipidaemia, hypothermia

E: ERCP, emboli

D: drugs

The most sensitive and specific study for pancreatitis is a CT abdomen, which may show enlargement of the pancreas with irregular contours, necrosis, pseudocysts and peri-pancreatic fat obliteration.