Gallstones are a MAJORLY COMMON cause of acute pancreatitis. Like, seriously. You probably misread the question, right?
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.