[Sonography of vascular and biliary epigastric structures].

Ultrasonic devices with rapid image build-up and high power of resolution enable detailed assessment of the vascular and biliary structures. Visualisation of the biliary tract of normal lumen in the extrahepatic region enables identification of a biliary obstruction at a time where dilatation of the intrahepatic biliary tract has not yet taken place. The identification of small visceral branches of the aorta abdominalis as well as of portal and systemic veins yields sonographically reliable vascular points of reference which enable, apart from the exact localisation of the biliary tract and of the pancreas, accurate topographic identification of abdominal mass lesions.