[Pancreaticography and its correlation with angiography and ultrasonography in diagnosis of the pancreas (author's transl)].

The endoscopic retrograde pancreaticography demonstrates - when suspecting "pancreas anulare" - the part of the pancreatic duct system that forms a ring around the duodenum, helping to recognize this anomaly. In chronic pancreatitis deformities of the pancreatic ducts may be visualized 2-3 years after the onset of the disease. There are deformities of the outlining and the course of the ducts as well as solitary and multiple stenosis and -most important- dilatation of the main duct and its branches. In pancreas abscess, necrotic cavities, and pseudocysts the retograde pancreaticography visualizes solitary or multiple perforations of the duct and pooling of contrast medium in cavities. Carcinoma of the pancreas presents stenosis, occlusion and deviation of the main duct and its branches and sometimes with lakes of contrast medium in ares of necrosis. Pancreaticography following trauma demonstrates similar to chronic pancreatitis laking of contrast medium following perforation. The endoscopic retrograde pancreatico-cholangiography has - like angiography and ultrasound - its special indications in diagnosis of the pancreas. They are important in cases which have affected primarily or secondarily the duct system. Its reliability in confirming and differentiating a disease increases with more accurate indication. In this journal in 1965 a critical review of roentgenologic examinations of the pancreas presumed that development of a valid preoperative pancreaticography would lead to priority of this method. This priority has become true in chronic pancreatitis, calculous pancreatitis and visualization of necrotic cavities. In those examples the endoscopic retrograde pancreatico-cholangiography is still not dominating all cases.