In 190 patients with malignant gastric neoplasia the value of laparoscopy for diagnosing intra-abdominal metastases was investigated. At the laparoscopic examination the presence of tumoral tissue was appraised on the serosal coat of the stomach, epiploons, parietal and visceral peritoneum, and in the liver. On hand of laparoscopic findings (peritoneal or hepatic metastases) the surgical treatment was discarded in 34 patients (70.6%). In the remaining 29.4% of patients a bad general condition or concomitant diseases contra-indicated surgical intervention. A comparison of laparoscopic and surgical findings showed that correct diagnosis was established by laparoscopy in 61.4% of cases with tumoral invasion of gastric serosa, in 21.4% of cases with involvement of epiploon, in 27% of parietal peritoneum, and in 33.3% of the liver. Falsely positive findings were rare (5% of examinations).