Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 16, Issue 1 17-22, Copyright © 1997 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Typical sonographic appearance of duodenal diverticulum
C. M. Olsson, P. E. Nilsson, A. K. Nilsson and I. S. Loren
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital MAS, University of Lund, Malmo, Sweden.
During routine transabdominal ultrasonography of the hepatobiliary tract an
occasional persistent bright linear or concave echo was detected that
disrupted the normal images we routinely obtained of the pancreatic head.
We began to suspect this echo to be the sonographic representation of a
duodenal diverticulum. To confirm our suspicions we performed a prospective
study. Over a 20 month period, 30 consecutive patients with a
sonographically suspected duodenal diverticulum were followed up with
either an upper gastrointestinal series, gastroscopy, or, depending on the
patient's clinical symptoms, endoscopic retrograde
cholangiopancreaticography. One patient was examined with simultaneous
fluoroscopy and ultrasonography. The results of these examinations were
then compared to the respective ultrasonograms by a qualified radiologist
and sonographer. The suspected duodenal diverticulum, detected primarily
with ultrasonography, was confirmed with follow-up examinations in all 30
patients. The persistent echo detected sonographically had the same
anatomic position as the diverticulum seen during fluoroscopy. We concluded
that duodenal diverticulum located near the pancreatic head has a rather
typical sonographic appearance.
