[Study of the Wirsung duct by echography (author's transl)]

With the usual echographic technics, the Wirsung duct, when dilated can be only episodically seen: the seesaw motion of the transducer produces some undesirable echoes, which rub out the lumen of the Wirsung duct. In order to obtain steadily pictures of the dilated Wirsung duct, the transducer must be used with a sweep motion in only one direction, while a positive pressure is exerted on the epigastrium. When transversally intersected, the Wirsung duct appears spindle shaped; it can be displayed on a rather good length. When sagittaly intersected, it presents, itself like a curved shaped picture, 4 mm to 2 cm in diameter, empty of echoes, in the center of the pancreatic section. The Wirsung duct, with the former technics, had been displayed 20 times in 140 cases of chronic pancreatitis; whe have found it in 4 cases in our 10 last cases of chronic pancreatitis. These case have been verified by endoscopic Wirsungography.