ASCARIASIS OF THE ALIMENTARY-TRACT, LIVER, PANCREAS AND BILIARY SYSTEM - ITS DIAGNOSIS BY ULTRASONOGRAPHY

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study was to describe the echogra phic features of Ascaris lumbricoides invasion of the alimentary tract , biliary system, liver and pancreas. METHODOLOGY: We studied 38 patie nts with roundworm heavy infection whose diagnosis were primarily supp orted by ultrasonographic examination. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were admitted with the following clinical complications: bowel obstruc tion, intra and extrahepatic dilatation, acute cholecystitis, intrahep atic abscess, acute appendicitis, subphrenic collection and acute panc reatitis. Ultrasound scanning was able to recognize in 30 cases the ec hogenic, nonshadowing images of the worms as single or multiple strips ; in 8 cases, coiled structures and amorphous material were detected. The ''inner tube'' sign was considered as the most specific one. In tw o cases the roundworms were displayed within the stomach, a curious fi nding, up to now never reported in medical Literature. CONCLUSIONS: Re al-time sonography represents an efficient, reliable and non-invasive diagnostic approach for hepatobiliary, enteric and pancreatic ascarias is.