Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin for the Differentiation of Mucinous Pancreatic Cystic Lesions.

Undetermined pancreatic cystic lesion (PCL) differentiation benefits from endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) based on morphology and cyst fluid analysis, but room for new biomarkers exists. Our aim was to assess the intracystic and serum diagnostic value of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (Ngal) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß) for differentiation of PCLs. This prospective study included patients from one tertiary hospital, evaluated between April 2018 and May 2020. EUS fine-needle aspiration or pancreatic pseudocysts drainage was the source of PCL intracystic liquid. The final diagnosis was based on surgery or EUS results (morphology, cytology, glucose, and CEA-carcinoembryogenic antigen). The intracystic samples were tested for Ngal, IL-1ß, glucose, and CEA, and serum for Ngal and IL-1ß. We evaluated 63 cysts, 33 pseudocysts, and 30 non-inflammatory cysts. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for mucinous PCL was 70.8% and 92.3% for intracystic Ngal (cut-off: 500-800 ng/dL), without correlation with serum Ngal, no matter the inclusion of infected pseudocysts. After exclusion of infected pseudocysts, the sensitivity and specificity for glucose were 87% and 75%, respectively, and for CEA, they were 87.1%, and 96.8%, respectively. Intracystic Ngal shows promise in differentiating mucinous PCLs, but researchers need to conduct further studies to confirm its effectiveness. Intracystic IL-1ß and serum Ngal made no diagnostic contribution.

Groove Pancreatitis-Tumor-like Lesion of the Pancreas.

Groove pancreatitis (GP) is an uncommon appearance of pancreatitis represented by fibrous inflammation and a pseudo-tumor in the area over the head of the pancreas. The underlying etiology is unidentified but is firmly associated with alcohol abuse. We report the case of a 45-year-old male patient with chronic alcohol abuse who was admitted to our hospital with upper abdominal pain radiating to the back and weight loss. Laboratory data were within normal limits, except for the level of carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9. An abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) scan revealed swelling of the pancreatic head and duodenal wall thickening with luminal narrowing. We performed an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with fine needle aspiration (FNA) from the markedly thickened duodenal wall and the groove area, which revealed only inflammatory changes. The patient improved and was discharged. The principal objective in managing GP is to exclude a diagnosis of malignancy, whilst a conservative approach might be more acceptable for patients instead of extensive surgery.

Clinical Utility of the Contrast-Enhanced Endoscopic Ultrasound Guided Fine Needle Aspiration in the Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cyst.

Endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) cytology from an intracystic fluid is useful in the differentiation of pancreatic cysts, with low sensitivity, which increases when the solid component is targeted. The clinical utility of contrast-enhanced guided EUS-FNA (CH-EUS-FNA) in the solid component is not known. We aimed to assess the diagnostic value of CH-EUS-FNA in enhanced mural nodules and discrimination between different cysts using contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound (CH-EUS). The prospective study recruited patients with pancreatic cysts with an unclear diagnosis. The CH-EUS was followed by CH-EUS-FNA. The final diagnosis was based on surgery or the correlation between clinical history, cross-sectional imaging, echoendoscopic morphology, cystic fluid analysis, and follow-up. Fifty-eight patients with pancreatic cysts were evaluated. The mucinous cysts had wall arterial enhancement more often than non- mucinous cysts (p < 0.0001), with 90.2% sensitivity and 70.6% specificity. The CH-EUS-FNA from cystic fluid and mural nodules identified mucinous cysts and malignancy with 82.4% and 84.2% sensitivity and 92% and 100% specificity. Twenty-one cysts had solid components, but only 13 were enhanced mural nodules on EUS assessment with conclusive cytology in all cases and malignancy in 76.9%. Contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound should be completed in all PCN with solid components in order to avoid unnecessary EUS-FNA and to guide FNA for the identification of malignant cysts.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Biopsy versus Fine-Needle Aspiration in the Diagnosis of Focal Liver Lesions: Prospective Head-to-Head Comparison.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) or fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) from focal liver lesions are indicated in selected cases, but there has been no previous comparison of needle types of the same size. The aim of our study was to compare the histologic diagnostic accuracy and adequacy of cores obtained with EUS-FNB needles in contrast to those obtained with FNA needles in focal liver lesions. This prospective one-center study included patients with left lobe hepatic focal lesions with contraindications for percutaneous liver biopsy or need for EUS for concomitant lesions. Each patient had one pass of 22G EUS-FNB (Franseen) needle and one pass of 22G EUS-FNA in a crossover manner, without macroscopic on-site evaluation. Each sample was analyzed separately for histologic adequacy and diagnosis. The final diagnosis was based on histology results or on imaging follow-up in the case of negative biopsies. The EUS-FNB samples (n = 30) were found to be more adequate for histologic analysis, with more cellularity and longer tissue aggregates than the EUS-FNA samples (n = 30). The accuracy of EUS-FNB was 100%, whereas that of EUS-FNA was 86.7% (p = 0.039). No post-procedure complications were noted. The 22G EUS-FNB needle proved superior to 22G EUS-FNA in terms of tissue acquisition diagnostic accuracy and histologic adequacy in focal liver lesions.

Common bile duct size in malignant distal obstruction and lumen-apposing metal stents: a multicenter prospective study.

Background and study aims Feasibility of EUS-guided choledochoduodenostomy (EUS-CDS) using available lumen-apposing stents (LAMS) is limited by the size of the common bile duct (CBD) (≤ 12 mm, cut-off for experts; 15 mm, cut-off for non-experts). We aimed to assess the prevalence and predictive factors associated with CBD size ≥ 12 and 15 mm in naïve patients with malignant distal biliary obstruction (MDBO). Patients and methods This was a prospective cohort study involving 22 centers with assessment of CBD diameter and subjective feasibility of the EUS-CDS performance in naïve jaundiced patients undergoing EUS evaluation for MDBO. Results A total of 491 patients (mean age 69 ±â€Š12 years) with mean serum bilirubin of 12.7 ±â€Š6.6 mg/dL entered the final analysis. Dilation of the CBD ≥ 12 and 15 mm was detected in 78.8 % and 51.9 % of cases, respectively. Subjective feasibility of EUS-CDS was expressed by endosonographers in 91.2 % for a CBD ≥ 12 mm and in 96.5 % for a CBD ≥ 15 mm. On multivariate analysis, age ( P  < 0.01) and bilirubin level ( P  ≤ 0.001) were the only factors associated with both CBD dilation ≥ 12 and ≥ 15 mm. These variables were poorly associated with the extent of duct dilation; however, based on them a prediction model could be constructed that satisfactorily predicted CBD size ≥ 12 mm in patients at least 70 years and a bilirubin level ≥ 7 mg/dL. Conclusions Our study showed that at presentation in a large cohort of patients with MDBO, EUS-CDS can be potentially performed in three quarters to half of cases by expert and less experienced endosonographers, respectively. Dedicated stents or devices with different designs able to overcome the limitations of existing electrocautery-enhanced LAMS for EUS-CDS are needed.