Search

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) of pancreatic cysts obtains cyst fluid for cytologic and biochemical analysis, which may determine whether the cyst is mucinous and malignant, contributing to patient management. Despite this added value, EUS-FNA remains controversial in the preoperative assessment of pancreatic cysts. The objective of this study was to assess the utility of EUS-FNA in a cohort of small pancreatic cysts that were benign on imaging studies. METHODS: All pancreatic cysts that underwent initial EUS-FNA in 2006 and 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Ninety-two patients with pancreatic cysts met the inclusion criteria. Patients who had high-risk or worrisome features on imaging studies were excluded. Cytology, histology, and cyst fluid analysis data were collected. The main outcome measurements were radiologic and clinical follow-up as well as cytopathologic and histologic results. RESULTS: EUS-FNA supported a diagnosis of a mucinous cyst in 38 of 92 patients (41%) by carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) measurement and/or cytology. Cytology demonstrated an absence of high-grade atypia (HGA) in 89 of 92 patients (97%). The mean follow-up was 4.4 years (range, 0-7.7 years), during which 6 cysts were surgically resected and 16 cysts were resampled by at least 1 subsequent EUS-FNA. The overall negative predictive value of cytologic examination for HGA was 99%. CONCLUSIONS: EUS-FNA is a screening test that contributes to a triple-negative test for pancreatic cysts—no high-risk stigmata, no worrisome features, and no HGA on cytology—providing a negative predictive value of 99% for conservative management. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2013;000:000-000. V C 2013 American Cancer Society.

Background: Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) provides real time microscopic imaging of the gastrointestinal lining. Fluorescein is the most widely used contrast-enhancing fluorophore for this technique, but fails to provide signal within neoplastic cells that may reflect a more acidic tumor microenvironment. Lysosensor dye DND 189 (LD, Invitrogen) has a fluorescence peak at pH 5.2, compared to fluorescein with a peak at pH 7. The aim of this study was to determine if LD fluorescence might be greater in tumors compared to adjacent normal cells, thereby providing “positive” signals within tumors. Methods: Mice received azoxymethane (AOM, 10 mg/kg body wt) or saline (AOM vehicle) x 6 weeks. Uncontrasted colons were visualized via colonoscopy. Mice were then injected by tail vein with LD (25, 50, or 100 μL). The CLE probe (UHD probe, Mauna Kea Techologies, Paris) was inserted per rectum and images acquired 1-2 cm from the anal verge at 1, 5, 10, 30, 60, 120, and 180 min after injection. To image tumors we used an open laparotomy approach to identify tumors from the serosal side and then position the intraluminal CLE probe directly onto the tumor. After image acquisition, colons were opened and tumors harvested to correlate histological sections with confocal images. Results: Two control mice underwent colonoscopy that revealed endoscopically normal colons. In normal colons, punctate signals were detected 5-10 minutes after injection that were only observed at the highest LD dose. These signals may originate from dye trapped in acidic lysosomes. AOM-treated mice (n=4 mice) were assessed In Vivo for tumors with CLE per rectum assisted by laparotomy. Adequate tumor images were achieved with 50 μL LD. Within 5 min, LD fluorescence was detected in all tumors, but not adjacent normal-appearing mucosa (n=6 tumors, p

Objectives:The Sendai guidelines for management of patients with clinically suspected intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) recommend resection of cysts > 30 mm, a dilated main pancreatic duct (MPD) > 6 mm, a mural nodule (MN), symptoms or positive cytology. Although sensitive, asymptomatic cysts, nonspecific symptoms, and a high threshold for positive cytology limit the specificity of the guidelines. We have assessed the value of cytology relative to symptom for predicting malignancy in IPMNs without high-risk imaging features.Materials and Methods:We retrospectively reviewed the clinical, radiological, and cytological data of 31 small branch-duct IPMNs without a MN. The cytological presence of high-grade atypical epithelial cells (HGA) was considered true positive, with a corresponding histology of high-grade dysplasia or invasive carcinoma. The performance of cytology versus symptoms was evaluated by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), positive predictive value (PPV), and accuracy.Results:The sensitivity (0.80), specificity (0.85), and accuracy (0.84) of HGA were higher than the corresponding performance characteristics of symptoms (0.60, 0.45, and 0.48, respectively). The NPV of no HGA on cytology was > 95%.Conclusions:Cytology is a better predictor of malignancy than symptoms, for the conservative management of small branch-duct IPMNs. Cytology contributes to a highly accurate triple negative test for malignancy in small IPMN: No dilated MPD, MN or HGA.

Pancreatic cystic lesions are increasingly identified on routine imaging. One specific lesion, known as intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN), is a mucinous, pancreatic lesion characterized by papillary cells projecting from the pancreatic ductal epithelium. The finding of mucin extruding from the ampulla is essentially pathognomonic for diagnosing these lesions. IPMNs are of particular interest due to their malignant potential. Lesions range from benign, adenomatous growths to high-grade dysplasia and invasive cancer. These mucinous lesions therefore require immediate attention to determine the probability of malignancy and whether observation or resection is the best management choice. Unresected lesions need long-term surveillance monitoring for malignant transformation. The accurate diagnosis of these lesions is particularly challenging due to the substantial similarities in morphology of pancreatic cystic lesions and limitations in current imaging technologies. Endoscopic evaluation of these lesions provides additional imaging, molecular, and histologic data to aid in the identification of IPMN and to determine treatment course. The aim of this article is to focus on the diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic approaches to IPMN.

Objective To define how patients with pancreatic cysts are being diagnosed and treated. Design Retrospective case series. Setting University-affiliated tertiary care center. Patients Four hundred one patients evaluated in the Department of Surgery between January 2004 and December 2007. Main Outcome Measures Clinical management, histological diagnosis, and results of surveillance. Results Pancreatic cysts were incidentally discovered in 71% (284 of 401) of patients. There was no statistically significant difference in age (60.4 vs 63.1 years; P = .10), cyst size (31 vs 27 mm; P = .12), or histological diagnosis between symptomatic patients and patients with incidentally discovered cysts. Whereas the majority of symptomatic patients had their cystic neoplasms resected on diagnosis, 50% (142 of 284) of incidentally discovered cysts were initially managed nonoperatively. Of the patients who were managed with surveillance, 13 (8%) subsequently underwent resection after a median of 2.1 years because of an increase in cyst size, development of symptoms, increasing tumor markers, worrisome endoscopic ultrasonography findings, or patient anxiety. The most common diagnosis among resected lesions was either main-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (25%) or branch-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (23%). Invasive cancer was found in 29 of 256 (11%) resected cystic neoplasms, 9 of which were incidentally discovered, and in 7% (1 of 13) of patients who underwent watchful waiting prior to resection. Conclusions Incidentally discovered pancreatic cystic neoplasms composed 71% of our series, of which 50% were immediately resected. Subsequent morphologic changes or development of symptoms prompted an operation in 8% of patients after a period of surveillance. Invasive malignancy was present in 11% of all resected specimens but in 38% of main-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms.

Abnormalities in gallbladder emptying commonly occur in gallstone patients. Similar changes can be found in patients without gallstones that have disease that may predispose to stones, such as diabetes. Decreased contractility of the gallbladder can be measured clinically with variety of radiological techniques, and ultrasonography seems to have a number of advantages over others. In addition to a role in pathogenesis, decreased gallbladder emptying may determine the clearance of gallstones from the gallbladder during dissolution and after lithotripsy.