THE IMPACT OF ULTRASONOGRAPHY ON THE PROGNOSIS OF PANCREATIC-CANCER

The authors review 207 consecutive patients admitted for pancreatic cancer from 1960 to 1989 to the lst Department of Surgery of the University of Rome ''La Sapienza'', in order to ascertain whether ultrasonography contributes to achieving the ideal goal of early diagnoses. The results achieved show a higher number of early diagnoses (< 1 month from first symptoms) performed by means of US, and a concurrent increase of cases amenable to radical surgery during the period 1975-1989, and basically from 1985 to 1989. Diagnostic imaging, namely US, is therefore deemed to provide earlier diagnoses and higher rates of pancreatic resectability.