Endoscopy 2009; 41(8): 718-720
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1214866
Case report

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Real-time tissue elastography in the diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis

C.  F.  Dietrich1 , T.  O.  Hirche2 , M.  Ott3 , A.  Ignee1
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine II, Caritas Hospital, Bad Mergentheim, Germany
  • 2Department of Internal Medicine I, German Clinic for Diagnostics (DKD), Wiesbaden, Germany
  • 3Department of Pathology, Caritas Hospital, Bad Mergentheim, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

submitted24 February 2009

accepted after revision19 April 2009

Publication Date:
17 July 2009 (online)

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) elastography distinguishes tissues on the basis of their specific consistency. The preoperative diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is of the utmost importance in order to avoid surgery. The aim of this prospective evaluation of five patients was to investigate the role of this new technique in the characterization of mass lesions caused by AIP, with histology as the gold standard. All five patients with AIP presented with a characteristic stiff elastographic pattern not only of the mass lesion but also of the surrounding pancreatic parenchyma, which was not found in 17 patients with ductal adenocarcinoma and 10 healthy subjects. EUS elastography of the pancreas shows a typical and unique finding with homogenous stiffness of the whole organ, and this distinguishes AIP from the circumscribed mass lesion in ductal adenocarcinoma.

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C. F. DietrichMD 

Department of Internal Medicine II
Caritas Hospital

Uhlandstr. 7
97980 Bad Mergentheim
Germany

Fax: +49-7931-582290

Email: christoph.dietrich@ckbm.de