Title:Endoscopic Ultrasonography: A Novel Management Strategy for Pancreatic Diseases
VOLUME: 10 ISSUE: 2
Author(s):Zhen-Hua Zhao, Qi-Jie Zhang, Bin Song, Zhuan Liao, Xiao-Tian Sun and Zhao-Shen Li
Affiliation:Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, 168 Changhai Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
Keywords:Diagnosis, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), endoscopy, pancreatic diseases, therapy.
Abstract:Pancreas is a retroperitoneally located organ, and thus general CT and
MRI have a very limited specificity and sensitivity in diagnosing pancreatic diseases.
However, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) with a better differential diagnostic
capability of detecting pancreatic morphology and properties through gastric wall has
been widely accepted by physicians and become one of the first-line methods compared with other techniques. Currently,
common technologies used in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic diseases include EUS-guided fine needle
aspiration (EUS-FNA), EUS-guided drainage, EUS-guided pancreatic cysts ablation, EUS-assisted radiotherapy, and
EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS-CPN), etc. Recent innovative applications include contrast-enhanced EUS
with Doppler mode, contrast-enhanced harmonic EUS, and EUS elastography. The clinical application of EUS in
pancreatic diseases has been overviewed.
