[Ultrasonography of pancreatic diseases (author's transl)]

The use of a modern ultrasonic equipment with real time and gray-scale technique enables a riskless and less time consuming examination of the pancreas. The accuracy of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases is demonstrated by a clinical study in comparison to the endoscopic retrograde pancreaticography. By ultrasonography it is not only possible, to detect an enlargement of the pancreas, but also to differentiate between the various diseases of the pancreas in about 75% of the cases. Follow up controls in acute pancreatitis and the simultaneous examination of the neighbouring organs in all cases of a pancreatic disease are an important aid for the decision of surgical treatment. The ultrasonic targeted fine needle aspiration biopsy seems to be a suitable method to establish a morphological diagnosis in certain pancreatic diseases too.