A 56yo woman has had severe abdominal pain for 24h radiating to her back and is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. She appears to be tachycardic and in shock. She was found to have gallstones, 2yrs ago. What is the most likely inv to confirm dx?

The key is C. Serum lipase. [The likely diagnosis is pancreatitis. A normal lipase level can range from 0-160 U/L depending on the lab. When the pancreas is damaged, these digestive enzymes can be found in the blood at higher levels than normal. Amylase or lipase results more than three times normal levels are likely to mean pancreatitis].