[Description of a new disease: pancreatic lithiasis with radiolucent calculi]

118 patients presenting with pancreatic lithiasis were consecutively observed in our service. They underwent both an endoscopic pancreatography and god plain films of the abdomen. Calculi were classified in 3 groups: 1) Radiolucent calculi (17 cases, 5 females; 4 hereditary cases) are build up of amorphous residues of lithostathine S. They are not related to either alcohol, diet or tobacco. 2) Target calculi (27 cases, 4 females; 3 hereditary cases) have a radiolucent core as in 1 and a peripheral calcification. They are a late evolutionary stage of radiolucent lithiasis. The frequency of females and of hereditary cases is significantly greater in form 1 + 2 than in form 3. These two forms are a newly described disease without relationship with nutrition, alcohol or tobacco but the peripheral calcification of radiolucent calculi is favoured by alcohol and tobacco. This disease could be hereditary. 3) Calcic lithiasis (74 cases, 8 females, 2 hereditary cases) is the most frequent form of pancreatic lithiasis. Its cause is nutritional.