Ultrasonography of the normal pancreas. Success rate and criteria for normality.

Study of 135 ultrasonograms shows that it is possible to display the normal pancreas with 82% success. The pancreatic head ranges between 11 and 30/mm/in thickness, the isthmus 4-21 mm in thickness, and the corporeo-caudate area 24-32 mm in thickness. The pancreas may have a sausage, dumb-bell, or tadpole shape. Variance from these outlines and thicknesses should be considered pathological.