Evaluation of lipase activity in serum by radial enzyme diffusion.

Results of determination of serum lipase by radial enzyme diffusion correlate well with those by a titrimetric reference method in the abnormal range. The specificity of the diffusion assay allows the differentiation of patients with pancreatic disease, even when the lipase activity of the serum is within the normal limits of the tritrimetric assay. Pancreatic lipase is not detectable by the diffusion assay in the serum of individuals who are free from pancreatic disease.