Pancreas: imaging diagnosis with color/power Doppler ultrasonography, endoscopic ultrasonography, and intraductal ultrasonography

Recent advances of ultrasound imaging have made possible to depict various diseases and conditions of the pancreas. Color/power Doppler ultrasonograph y, endoscopic ultrasonography, and intraductal ultrasonography are feasible to show vascular abnormalities, differentiate the solid and cystic tumors, decide tumor extent, and help to perform interventional treatments of the pancreatic diseases. Those techniques will contribute to the more precise a nd easier diagnosis and to prompt decision of the treatments of the pancrea tic disorders. Radiologists should recognize the diagnostic feasibility and limitations of those techniques in order to avoid unnecessary examinations on the patients, and obtain precise diagnostic images. (C) 2001 Elsevier S cience Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.