In spite of progress in resuscitation the death rate from acute necrotic pancreatitis remains high, resuscitation being apt only to delay the fatal outcome. Since at present none of the therapeutic measures at our disposal can control the necrotic process once it has started, the only hope of improving the prognosis lies in surgical eradication of the necrotic tissue. But the diagnosis of parenchymal necrosis and the estimation of its extent are difficult.