[Clinical relevance of the "cockade phenomenon" in abdominal ultrasonic diagnosis].

The ultrasonic diagnosis "cockade sign" in patients with unexplained abdominal complaints was investigated by means of endoscopy and X-ray studies of the gastrointestinal tract. The following final diagnoses were established: gastric cancer in 24 patients (16,2%), colonic carcinoma in 31 patients (21%), intraabdominal tumor without infiltration of the GI-tract in 19 patients (12,8%), inflammatory bowel disease in 35 patients (23,6%). In 39 patients (26,4%) no inflammatory or neoplastic process of the GI-tract could be found. Most of these patients were suffering of a spastic colon. If a tumor of the gastrointestinal tract can be made visible by ultrasonography, this may shorten the diagnostic procedure. However, ultrasonic investigation of the abdomen cannot exclude an abdominal inflammatory or neoplastic process. Therefore, it is only useful as a screening procedure.