title: The diagnosis of pancreatic cyst by endoscopic retrograde pancreatography and ultrasonic scanning.
abstract: Fourteen patients with verified pancreatic cysts were examined by both preoperative endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP) and ultrasonic scanning. ERP showed filling of a cyst in 4 patients and raised suspicion of a cyst in 8. In two patients it was not possible to visualize the pancreatic duct. Ultrasonic scanning showed a cyst in 12 patients. There were two false negative ultrasonic diagnoses. These two were correctly diagnosed by ERP. Ultrasonically guided percutaneous puncture was carried out on 19 occasions in 8 patients. Cysts down to 2 cm in diameter were punctured without difficulty. There were no clinically significant complications due to the punctures. One patient was followed for 20 months without ultrasonically demonstrable recurrence of a large cyst aspirated, showing that definite therapy is possible by this method. Puncture can be used to verify the diagnosis and as treatment in patients where surgery is contraindicated.
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004724:Endoscopy; D006801:Humans; D006874:Hydrostatic Pressure; D008722:Methods; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010181:Pancreatic Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence; D014463:Ultrasonography