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Chronic pancreatitis is characterized by the formation of intraductal precipitates that may later grow and calcify, forming large stones. These calcified stones, representing almost all the calcifications visible in chronic pancreatitis, are located in the major pancreatic duct or in the secondary branches. During the past 10 years, new sophisticated endoscopic techniques have been developed to remove obstructing calculi from the main pancreatic duct. These techniques require an accurate evaluation of the location of the calculi, since calculi cannot be removed from secondary branches. Therefore, a new radiological approach has been developed, based on helicoidal scanning and multiplanar and tridimensional reconstructions of the calculi layout.

The authors report the fortuitous demonstration of an asymptomatic gossypiboma during the preoperative staging of a rectal carcinoma 13 years after abdominal surgery for perforated gastric ulcer. Ultrasonography disclosed a well-defined hypoechoic mass containing highly echogenic foci with a strong posterior shadow. The CT findings are reported, as well as the complementary aspects of sonography. Differential diagnosis from tumors of the lesser omentum is also presented.