[Endosonography in malignant extrahepatic obstructive jaundice]

34 patients with obstructive jaundice were investigated consecutively by transcutaneous ultrasonography, endoscopic sonography and endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP). In 20 cases obstruction was due to a tumor, whose location and extent could be visualized by endosonography and ERCP in all cases. By transcutaneous ultrasonography this was possible in only 14 (70%) and 17 (85%) cases respectively. In seven of eight cases the tumor size, in four of five cases metastatic involvement of lymph nodes and in all cases infiltration into neighboring organs or vessels were correctly predicted by endosonography. Both other methods failed in this regard. We therefore conclude that the diagnostic information obtained by endosonography in patients with obstructive jaundice due to malignancy is superior to conventional sonography and ERCP.