Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 11, Issue 11 607-612, Copyright © 1992 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
New technique using intraductal ultrasonography for the diagnosis of diseases of the pancreatobiliary system
T. Furukawa, Y. Naitoh, Y. Tsukamoto, M. Mitake, M. Yamada, A. Ishihara, Y. Hirooka, T. Satake, J. Kanoh, M. Tanaka and al. et
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
Intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS), a new technique for visualizing
arterial structures, operates at an ultrasound frequency of 30 MHz to
produce high resolution, cross-sectional images in real time. The purpose
of this study was to provide a basis for interpreting IDUS images in vitro.
We also attempted to determine the clinical usefulness of the IDUS system
in diagnosing pancreatobiliary diseases in vivo. IDUS echograms of both the
bile duct (BD) and main pancreatic duct (MPD) from autopsy specimens of 15
patients demonstrated three distinct layers with a fine reticular pattern
in the pancreas in vitro. In clinical cases, the MPD and BD of four
patients could be scanned by inserting the IDUS catheter via the major
papilla without requiring endoscopic sphincterotomy. We hope that IDUS will
become routine in scanning the BD and MPD to achieve early and accurate
diagnoses of pancreatobiliary diseases.
