Sonography in acute pancreatitis.

Noninvasive imaging of the pancreas with sonography and computed tomography has proven to be a major diagnostic advance. This article focuses on the unique contribution of sonography in acute pancreatitis, emphasizing patient selection, scanning technique, and newer sonographic observations regarding extrapancreatic spread of acute pancreatitis. The limitations of sonographic imaging in acute pancreatitis are reviewed and compared with computed tomography.