[Possibilities and limits of ultrasonography in gastrointestinal diseases (author's transl)]

Sonography has become a widely accepted method for noninvasive imaging of abdominal viscera. This report demonstrates the value of ultrasonography in comparison with other methods in diagnosing gastrointestinal diseases. The sonographic demonstration of an abdominal tumor by ultrasound enables to get informations about the extent, and in connection with sonographically guided fine needle aspiration biopsy about the malignancy of the tumor. In cases of clinically suspected gallstones, biliary obstruction or pancreatic pseudocysts sonography allows the definitive diagnosis and determines the further therapeutical proceeding. In the differential diagnosis of cholestasis ultrasonography should be the initial technique. The differentiation between obstructive and "internal" jaundice can be achieved in most cases, through the cause can not be obtained in all cases. The sonographic findings, however, reduce the differential diagnostic possibilities so that further diagnostics can be abbreviated and coordinated in the right and the patient considerate way. In many clinical situations sonography has to be interpreted in connection with clinical and biochemical findings and the results of other investigations.