Endoscopic ultrasound-guided through-the-needle microforceps biopsy and needle-based confocal laser-endomicroscopy increase detection of potentially malignant pancreatic cystic lesions:A single-center study

BACKGROUND Currently,there is insufficient data about the accuracy in the diagnosing of pancreatic cystic lesions(PCLs),especially with novel endoscopic techniques such as with direct intracystic micro-forceps biopsy(mFB)and needle-based confocal laser-endomicroscopy(nCLE).AIM To compare the accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)and associated techniques for the detection of potentially malignant PCLs:EUS-guided fine needle aspiration(EUS-FNA),contrast-enhanced EUS(CE-EUS),EUS-guided fiberoptic probe cystoscopy(cystoscopy),mFB,and nCLE.METHODS This was a single-center,retrospective study.We identified patients who had undergone EUS,with or without additional diagnostic techniques,and had been diagnosed with PCLs.We determined agreement among malignancy after 24-mo follow-up findings with detection of potentially malignant PCLs via the EUSguided techniques and/or EUS-guided biopsy when available(EUS malignancy detection).RESULTS A total of 129 patients were included, with EUS performed alone in 47/129. In 82/129 patients,EUS procedures were performed with additional EUS-FNA (21/82), CE-EUS (20/82), cystoscopy(27/82), mFB (36/82), nCLE (44/82). Agreement between EUS malignancy detection and the 24-mo follow-up findings was higher when associated with additional diagnostic techniques thanEUS alone [62/82 (75.6%) vs 8/47 (17%);OR 4.35, 95%CI: 2.70-7.37;P < 0.001]. The highestmalignancy detection accuracy was reached when nCLE and direct intracystic mFB were bothperformed, with a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value andobserved agreement of 100%, 89.4%, 77.8%, 100% and 92.3%, respectively (P < 0.001 comparedwith EUS-alone).CONCLUSIONThe combined use of EUS-guided mFB and nCLE improves detection of potentially malignantPCLs compared with EUS-alone, EUS-FNA, CE-EUS or cystoscopy.

Endoscopic ultrasound elastography for malignant pancreatic masses and associated lymph nodes:Critical evaluation of strain ratio cutoff value

BACKGROUND Endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)can detect small lesions throughout the digestive tract;however,it remains challenging to accurately identify malignancies with this approach.EUS elastography measures tissue hardness,by which malignant and nonmalignant pancreatic masses(PMs)and lymph nodes(LNs)can be differentiated.However,there is currently little information regarding the strain ratio(SR)cutoff in Hispanic populations.AIM To determine the diagnostic accuracy of EUS elastography for PMs and LNs with an SR cutoff value in Hispanics.METHODS A retrospective study of patients who underwent EUS elastography for PMs between December 2013 and December 2014.A qualitative(analysis of color maps)and quantitative(SR)analysis of PMs and their associated LNs was performed.The accuracy of EUS elastography in identifying malignant PMs and LNs and cutoff value for SR were analyzed.A PM and/or its associated LNs were considered malignant based on histopathological findings from fine-needle aspiration biopsy samples.RESULTS A sample of 121 patients was included,45.4%of whom were female.69(57.0%)PMs were histologically malignant,with a median SR of 50.4 vs 33.0 for malignant vs nonmalignant masses(P<0.001).EUS evaluation identified associated LNs in 43/121 patients(35.5%),in whom 22/43(51.2%)patients had histologically confirmed malignant diagnosis,with a median SR of 30 vs 40 for malignant vs nonmalignant LNs(P=0.7182).In detecting malignancy in PMs,an SR cutoff value of>21.5 yielded a sensitivity of 94.2%,while a cutoff value of>121 yielded a specificity of 96.2.2%.There were significant differences in the Giovannini scores,a previously established elastic score system,between the patients grouped by their final histology results(P<0.001).For LNs,SR cutoff values of>14.0 and>155 yielded a sensitivity of 90.9%and a specificity of 95.2%,respectively,in detecting malignancy.CONCLUSION EUS elastography is a helpful technique for the diagnosis of solid PMs and their associated LNs.The proposed SR cutoff values have a high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of malignancy.