Laparoscopy preferable to imaging procedures in detecting metastases of a pancreas carcinoma to the liver. Report of two cases.

In two patients a pancreatic mass, 6 and 4 cm in diameter, respectively, was detected using imaging techniques. Computed tomography, ultrasound, and angiography revealed no evidence of a metastatic lesion in the liver. In the first patient, exploration was done prior to a possible radical operation. Multiple hepatic metastases forming thin, flat lesions on the surface of the liver were present and palliative surgery only was done. In the other patient, laparoscopy was done before surgical exploration and multiple hepatic metastases on the surface of the liver were clearly evident. Laparoscopy can help to avoid unnecessary explorations in patients with large pancreas cancer.