[Chronic pancreatitis: diagnostic value of endoscopic retrograde pancreaticography, of pancreatic sonography, and of secretin-pancreozymin test corrected for volume losses (author's transl)].

Endoscopic retrograde pancreaticography (ERP) and secretin-pancreozymin test corrected for losses (SP test) were performed in 153 patients suspected to have pancreatic disorders in order to evaluate diagnostic significance of these procedures. Pancreatic sonography was done in addition in 110 of these patients. If pancreatic excretion was normal, ERP results turned out to be normal in the same patients as well. SP test involves rather extensive laboratory work-up, but it does yield the most precise results as far as diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis is concerned. For this reason, and because of the possible complications caused by ERP, ERP should be applied only, when surgery is considered. Results of SP test and sonography coincided rather well. Therefore, sonography, not doing any harm to the patient, does have its place in the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis.