Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in pancreatic cancer

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography(ERCP) is one of the important diagnostic methods for pancreaticcancer. It has an essential role in the early detection of pancreatic cancer. The ERCP findings of 35 cases ofpathologically proven pancreatic cancer during the period of five and a half years from April 1977 through Nov.1982 at Kwangju Christian Hospital were studied. The resuls were as follows; 1. The ratio of male of female was3.4:1, and most of the patients were over 40 years of age (88.5%). 2. The locations of the lesions were the headin 28 cases (80%), the body in 7 cases(20%), and the ail in 3 cases (8.6%). 3. The ERCP findings of pancreaticcancers were as follows; 1) Encasement or obstruction of common bile duct, 18 cases (51.4%). 2) Obstruction ofpancreatic duct, 16 cases (45.7%). 3) Irregular stenosis of pancreatic duct, 8 cases (22.3%). 4) Double duct sign,7 cases (20%). 5) Diffuse narrowing of pancreatic duct, 2 cases (5.7%).

The clinical and radiological observation of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP) is a new diagnostic method for pancreatic and biliarydiseases which has been made possible by the development of fiberoptic duodenoscopy. It has been thought that ERCPwell serve an important role in the early detection of pancreatic cancer, but in order to detect minor lesions ofthe pancreas and improve the diagnostic accuracy of resectable pancreatic cancer, Endoscopic RetrogradeParechymography of the pancreas (ERPP) was developed recently. The authors analyzed 117 cases of ERCP performed atthe Kwangju Christian Hospital between Jan. and Dec. 1980, and compared them with the final diagnosis. The resultswere as follows; 1. Out of 117 cases, successful visualization of the duct of concern was achieved in 105 cases.Of these, 25 cases were ERPP. 2. The ratio of males to female was 1.44:1. Most patients were in the 4th to 6thdecade. 3. The commmonest clinical manifestations were upper abdominal pain (77cases), jaundice(23 cases),indigestion, vomiting and abdominal mass, in order of frequency. 4. Out of 46 cases of suspected pancreaticdiseases, the pancreatic duct was visualized in 36 cases, and 24 cases revealed pathognomonic findings. These werediagnosed as 16 cases of pancreatic cancer, 4 cases of chronic pancreatitis, 2 cases of pancreatic pseudocyst and2 cases of periampullary cancer with pancreas invasion. In pancreatic cancer findings were; encasement, localdilatation, delayed excretion, poor filling, obstruction of pancreatic duct, accompanying C.B.D. obstruction orstenosis and so called double duct sign. The chronic pancreatitis findings included; ductal dilatation (with orwtihout) obstruction, tortuosity with dilated saccular lateral branching, stone formation and the parenchymalfilling defect. 5. Out of 71 cases of suspected biliary tract diseases, the biliary tract was visualized in 57cases, and in 31 cases abnormalities were suggested; such as 20 cases of biliary stone, 1 cases of ascariasis, 1case of clonorchiasis with cholangitis, 1 case of clonorchiasis with stone, 2 cases of C.B.D. ca. 2 cases of G.B.ca, 3 cases of intrahepatic disease, 1 case of stones in the biliary tree with ampullary ca. 6. Complications ofERCP and ERPP were extremely raare. Transient abdominal distention, abdominal discomfort and elevated serumamylase were noted, but were not clinically significant.