The fluid-filled stomach: a new sonic window.

Gastric air and peristalsis usually are obstacles to ultrasound imaging of the tail of the pancreas. Fifteen normal volunteers were scanned transversely in the supine position before and after intravenous administration of glucagon (1 mg) and oral administration of water. In 13 of 15 subjects glucagon produced a dilated gastric fundus that retained fluid for 30--60 min, thus allowing good imaging of the pancreatic tail in 10 subjects and fair imaging in 2 subjects. This method of creating a gastric sonic window should prove to be valuable in ultrasound imaging of the pancreas.