[Pancreaticorrhagia--imaging procedures compared]

Four patients with spontaneous bleeding from the pancreas are described. Transpapillary bleeding is diagnosed endoscopically. Angiography can demonstrate the eroded vessel directly. Ultrasound, CT and ERCP demonstrate the underlying abnormality in the pancreas. Bleeding into a cyst produces characteristic echoes, or an increase in density. NMR is able to demonstrate pancreatitis and pancreatic pseudo-cysts. Early diagnosis is extremely important, since without appropriate surgery, pancreatic bleeding is frequently fatal.