THE ULTRASONOGRAPHY OF PANCREATOLITHIASIS

Abstract

The ultrasonographs from 8 cases of pancreatolithiasis were evaluated in comparison with the radiographs and clinical course of the disease. In 7 cases clear delineation of the pancreas was possible. In the cases of chronic relapsing pancreatitis the head and body of the pancreas was enlarged, while in chronic pancreatitis the size of the pancreas was variable; either enlarged, atrophied or not changed. Pancreatic calcification was delineated as strong echoes accompanied by acoustic shadows within the pancreas. In 3 cases the acoustic shadows were easily seen but in the other cases they were not so clear. Differential diagnosis between pancreatitis and pancreatic carcinoma was straightforward in most of the cases but in one case localized enlargement and irregular internal echoes made such dif-ferentiation difficult. Also, complicated pseudocysts were clearly delineated.