Factors affecting the diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA for pancreatic and peripancreatic lesions: a single-center experience

Aims Endoscopic-ultrasound fine-needle-aspiration (EUS-FNA) has become the standard of care for the diagnosis of pancreatic and peripancreatic tumors, and several factors are associated with its diagnostic accuracy. The aim of this study is to evaluate factors that are associated with the diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA in our center.

Methods Data from patients with pancreatic and peripancreatic lesions who underwent EUS-FNA were collected retrospectively. The associations between mass location, mass size, needle type, number of needle passes, the presence of a biliary stent and the cytology result were analyzed. [1]

Results A total of 219 patients underwent 221 EUS-FNA procedures. The overall accuracy of EUS-FNA was 85.5% (189/221). Mass location on the head of the pancreas was associated with a higher diagnostic accuracy (p<0.05). Two or more needle passes were statistically significantly correlated with higher diagnostic accuracy (p<0.05) compared to single-pass EUS-FNA. Mass size, needle type and presence of a biliary stent did not reach statistical significance for the diagnostic yield of the cytology. A subgroup of 49 patients (22%) had lesions in the corpus or the tail of the pancreas. In this subgroup, tumor size greater than 3 cm was statistically significant correlated with a diagnostic cytology result (p<0.05).

Conclusions The results of this study suggest that 2 or more needle passes and lesions in the head of the pancreas are associated with higher diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA in our center.

Conflicts of interest

Authors do not have any conflict of interest to disclose.

• References

• 1 Johnson G. et al. Curriculum for ERCP and endoscopic ultrasound training in Europe: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Position Statement. Endoscopy 2021; 53: 1071-1087

Publication History

Article published online:
15 April 2024