The efficacy associated with peroral pancreatoscopy to diagnose and di
fferentiate pancreatic diseases is herein reviewed and clarified, and
problems with this modality are discussed. Three types of pancreatosco
pes are presently available: (a) a thin fiberscope with a diameter of
3.3 or 4.5 mm, which has an angulation system and a forceps channel; (
b) an ultrathin pancreatoscope with a diameter of 0.75 or 0.8 mm, whic
h can be inserted via an ordinary endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancr
eatography (ERCP) cannula without endoscopic sphincterotomy; and (c) a
n ultrathin pancreatoscope combined with a catheter that has an outer
diameter of 1.67 mm. Peroral pancreatoscopy facilitates the detection
of small lesions of the duct in malignancy or chronic pancreatitis. In
particular, it is quite useful in differentiating pancreatic cancer f
rom chronic pancreatitis in cases with local stenosis or elevated lesi
ons of the main pancreatic duct. Among patients with a mucus-producing
tumor of the pancreas, pancreatoscopy is also very useful, especially
in determining lesion extent. Despite some unresolved problems, we pr
edict that pancreatoscopy will retain a limited or specific and defini
te role in diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy for pancreatic disease
s.