Clinical Impact of Endoscopic Ultrasound and Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration in the Management of Rectal Carcinoma

PURPOSE: There is scant data about the clinical impact of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration in rectal carcinoma. This study was designed to determine the impact of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration on the staging and management of rectal carcinoma and to compare the staging accuracy of computed tomography scan, endoscopic ultrasound, and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration. METHODS: The records of 60 consecutive patients diagnosed with rectal carcinoma referred for endoscopic ultrasound staging were reviewed. Computed tomography scans, endoscopic ultrasound imaging, endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration staging, surgical pathology, and subsequent treatment were compared. RESULTS: Of 48 patients who underwent computed tomography scan imaging, the additional information provided by endoscopic ultrasound changed management in 38 percent of patients. Sixteen patients identified as having nonjuxtatumoral lymph nodes underwent fine-needle aspiration and the additional information obtained changed therapy in three (19 percent) of these patients. All five cases of recurrent rectal carcinoma were correctly diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration. Tumor staging accuracy was 45 percent (computed tomography) and 89 percent (endoscopic ultrasound; P < 0.0001); nodal staging accuracy was 68 percent (computed tomography), 85 percent (endoscopic ultrasound), and 92 percent (endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration; P = not significant). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic ultrasound imaging was better than computed tomography scanning at overall tumor staging, whereas endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration demonstrated a trend toward more accurate nodal staging. Preoperative staging with endoscopic ultrasound resulted in a change of management in 38 percent of patients. The addition of fine-needle aspiration changed the management in 19 percent of those who underwent nonjuxtatumoral lymph node sampling. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration accurately diagnosed 100 percent of those with recurrent rectal carcinoma. Clearly, endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration are important for the staging and management of rectal carcinoma and for detecting disease recurrence.Presented at the EUS 13th International Symposium on Endoscopic Ultrasound, New York, New York, October 4 to 6, 2002     

Impact of endoscopic ultrasound on the management and outcome of pancreatic carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: Although endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration have been shown to aid in the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic carcinoma, whether the general use of these new techniques impacts the overall management and survival of pancreatic cancer, is less clear. METHODS: Clinical data on all patients diagnosed with pancreatic carcinoma were assessed for two equal time periods during which computerized tomography-guided fine needle aspiration and biopsy was used (1/93-5/95) and then during which endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration was used (8/95-12/97) for the primary diagnosis of these patients. RESULTS: Comparative data for the computerized tomography era versus the endosonography era showed that 1) pancreatic carcinomas diagnosed: 52 versus 84 patients (stage I-III at diagnosis: 33% vs 54%; p < 0.05); 2) diagnosis by aspiration or biopsy of a pancreatic mass, nodes, liver metastasis, or by operation: 46%, 0%, 19%, 29% versus 52%, 8% (p = 0.02 nodes plus pancreatic masses), 20%, 7% (p = 0.002); 3) pancreatic resections: 13% versus 14%; 4) median survival without liver metastases: 102 versus 205 days (p < 0.02, log-rank test). Endoscopic ultrasound detected carcinomas that were either not seen or only possibly seen by computed tomography in 34%. CONCLUSIONS: More patients (62%) were diagnosed with pancreatic carcinoma when using endoscopic ultrasound and 75% fewer required operations for diagnosis. The 3-month improvement in median survival is probably multifactorial but most likely represents lead bias because of the greater sensitivity of endoscopic ultrasound for pancreatic carcinoma. Using endoscopic ultrasound with endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration in patients with pancreatic carcinoma significantly affects their management and outcomes.     

High frequency of incidental diagnosis of extrathyroidal neoplastic diseases at the fine-needle aspiration biopsy of laterocervical lymph nodes in patients with thyroid nodules.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the frequency of the incidental diagnosis of extrathyroidal lymph node diseases at ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy/cytology (FNAB/C) being done to check the presence of metastatic thyroid cancer in 30 subjects with thyroid nodule (TN) and enlarged cervical lymph nodes (CLN). The patients in whom cytology suggested the presence of malignancy in the TN or in the CLN underwent surgical removal for histologic diagnosis. The spectrum of diseases revealed by this survey included: (1) 10 benign diseases including 1 case of Piringer-Kuchinka lymphadenitis with benign TN; (2) 10 metastatic thyroid cancers (2 anaplastic and 8 papillary cancers); (3) 3 benign TN associated with metastatic invasion of cervical lymph nodes from lung (2 cases) and breast (1 case) cancer; (4) 1 Hodgkin's lymphoma of the cervical lymph nodes with hyperplastic TN; (5) 3 nodal lymphomas with benign thyroid nodule and 2 cases of thyroid lymphoma with nodal invasion; and (6) 1 nodal sarcoidosis with benign TN. The results of this study demonstrate that important neoplastic and hematologic diseases affecting the cervical lymph nodes may frequently be incidentally detected using ultrasonography (US) and FNAB/C in the diagnostic procedure for thyroid nodule.     

Lymph node metastasis diagnosed by EUS-FNA in four cases with hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rarely accompanies lymph node (LN) metastasis. As lymphadenopathy is observed in a variety of diseases, definitive diagnosis of metastasis of HCC is difficult without histological evidence. This report presented four cases of HCC associated with LN metastasis diagnosed using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) and analyzed characteristics of CT image and histology of metastatic nodes. In current cases, metastatic nodes commonly demonstrated ill-enhanced masses with marginal enhancement on computed tomography (CT). Before FNA, nodal lymphoma or metastasis from the unknown origin tumor had been also suspected, but histology of the aspirated nodal tissues all demonstrated poorly differentiated HCC. No complication was recognized during and after FNA procedures. EUS-FNA is thought to be a safe and effective modality for obtaining histological evidence of lymphadenopathy in cases with HCC.     

Diagnosis of pancreatic tuberculosis by combined, contrast-enhanced sonography and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration

A 79-year-old woman complaining of epigastric pain was examined by her local physician, who found an abdominal mass and referred the patient to our department. Abdominal plain computed tomography revealed a mass, 50 mm in size, with slight calcification on the ventral side of the head of the pancreas. On abdominal ultrasound, the mass lesion consisted of an aggregation of hypoechoic masses, with a heterogeneous hyperechoic region at its center. On contrast ultrasonography, only the hyperechoic region was stained. ¹⁸F-Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) revealed FDG accumulation in the same region. It was difficult to differentiate between a malignant pancreatic tumor and an inflammatory disease on imaging, but since QuantiFERON TB2G testing was positive, pancreatic tuberculosis was suspected, and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNA) was performed to obtain a definitive diagnosis. Samples from the hypoechoic region consisted of necrotic tissue, while those from the hyperechoic region consisted of pancreatic tissue together with granulation tissue. BCG immunostaining was positive, and a diagnosis of pancreatic tuberculosis was made. If EUS-FNA is performed on stained areas seen on contrast ultrasonography, this will probably enable a more accurate diagnosis of pancreatic tuberculosis with low invasiveness.     

Identifying contraindications to resection in patients with pancreatic carcinoma: the role of endoscopic ultrasound.

OBJECTIVE: To present recently published material comparing the performance of endosonography relative to other imaging modalities when evaluating the patient with a suspected or known pancreas carcinoma. METHODS: Medline was searched using the terms "endosonography" and "pancreas neoplasms". References from retrieved papers were reviewed to identify other reports. Emphasis was placed on peer-reviewed material published within the past three years that included comparison with other imaging modalities. RESULTS: Despite advances in cross-sectional imaging modalities, endosonography remains the most sensitive and specific method for identifying pancreatic mass lesions. The resectability of pancreatic carcinoma is best determined with dual-phase helical computed tomography, although endosonography may be slightly more accurate for lymph node assessment. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy has a high sensitivity (93%) and specificity (100%) when used in patients with masses in whom pancreatic cancer is suspected but prior biopsies have been negative. CONCLUSIONS: Endosonography helps in the diagnosis of pancreatic neoplasms through definitive inclusion or exclusion of a mass lesion as well as biopsy confirmation of malignancy. The role of endosonography in the determination of resectability has been eclipsed by dual-phase helical computed tomography. However, endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration of nonperitumoral lymph nodes may identify advanced disease with sufficient frequency to justify its routine use in patients with lesions that are thought to be resectable based on helical computed tomography.     

Best practices in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration

Over the past 2 decades, endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration has evolved to become an indispensable tool for tissue acquisition in patients with gastrointestinal tumors. The technique is useful for biopsy of mucosal and submucosal lesions in which prior endoscopic biopsies have been nondiagnostic; to sample peri-intestinal structures such as lymph nodes; and to sample masses in the pancreas, liver, adrenal glands, gallbladder, and bile duct. Also, with the advent of neoadjuvant therapies for diseases such as pancreatic cancer, most patients require a tissue diagnosis before initiating treatment. This review provides a perspective on technical issues that are key for best practices in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration.     

Factors predicting the number of EUS-guided fine-needle passes for diagnosis of pancreatic malignancies

BACKGROUND: The factors that affect the number of needle passes needed to diagnose pancreatic malignancies using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) -guided fine-needle aspiration are unknown. METHODS: Patient and endosonographic data were prospectively recorded on 121 consecutive patients with pancreatic malignancy. Of these, 110 underwent EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration. A cytopathologist was in attendance for all aspiration procedures. RESULTS: Initial EUS detected a pancreatic mass in 96% of cases; 23% of these were not seen by computed tomography. EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration was performed in 109 of 110 (99%) patients, including 95 masses, 7 lymph nodes, and 7 hepatic metastases. EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration provided a cytologic diagnosis of malignancy in 104 of 110 (95%). Only tumor differentiation and the site of aspiration affected the number of passes. CONCLUSIONS: With the participation of a cytopathologist, EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration can diagnose pancreatic malignancies with a high degree of accuracy. Only the aspiration site (mass versus node/liver metastasis) can be used to direct the number of passes if a cytopathologist is not present. Without a cytopathologist in attendance, 5 to 6 passes should be made for pancreatic masses and 2 to 3 for liver metastases or lymph nodes; however, this approach will be associated with a 10% to 15% reduction in definitive cytologic diagnoses, extra procedure time, increased risk and additional needles.     

Granular cell tumor of the pancreas diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration

A 68-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for the treatment of bile duct stone, pancreatic tumor, and pancreatic cysts. First, bile duct stone was removed using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. By abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography, a 12-mm diameter tumor was found in the pancreatic body. The tumor was isodense compared with the surrounding pancreatic parenchyma in the non-contrast phase and poorly enhanced in the arterial phase; it exhibited gradual enhancement from the portal vein phase to the late phase. Numerous pancreatic cysts were also observed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography. By magnetic resonance imaging, the tumor was hypointense in T1-weighted images, isointense in T2-weighted images, and hyperintense in diffusion-weighted images. By magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, the main pancreatic duct was not dilated, and pancreatic cysts communicated with the main pancreatic duct. The pancreatic cysts were diagnosed as branch-type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm. Histopathologic assessment of the specimens obtained by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration revealed the tumor as benign pancreatic granular cell tumor. The patient was followed up without surgical resection. On contrast-enhanced computed tomography at 6 months after admission, the tumor did not show any changes in diameter or characteristics.     

The First Case of Metastatic Pancreatic Leiomyosarcoma Derived from the Urinary Bladder Diagnosed Using an Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Fine-needle Biopsy

We herein report the first case of metastatic pancreatic leiomyosarcoma derived from the urinary bladder diagnosed by an endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) in a 65-year-old woman. The patient had undergone total cystectomy for bladder leiomyosarcoma. Four years thereafter, a nodule was observed in her left lung on chest computed tomography. Suspecting primary lung cancer, pulmonologists at our hospital recommended a thoracoscopic lung biopsy, which the patient refused. Five years post-cystectomy, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography revealed enlargement of the left lung nodule and a new mass in the pancreatic head. She was referred to our department for the pathological diagnosis of a pancreatic head mass by an EUS-FNB. The EUS-FNB yielded adequate pancreatic tissue for an immunohistochemical analysis. A diagnosis of metastatic pancreatic lesion originating from the urinary bladder was made. In atypical pancreatic tumors, the utilization of an EUS-FNB and immunohistochemical analysis can help establish an accurate diagnosis.     

Scirrhous colonic metastasis from lobular carcinoma of breast

A 68-year-old woman presented complaining of 2 months vague abdominal fullness and constipation. She had a history of surgery 5 years ago for invasive lobular carcinoma of the left breast. She had good appetite without any severe symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, or hematochezia. No abnormal subcutaneous lymph nodes were detected, and blood tests showed no abnormalities including serum tumor markers. Whole-body computed tomography and bone scintigraphy revealed no tumor recurrences. However, endoscopic findings demonstrated a smooth stenotic lesion with submucosal thickening in the transverse colon, but the colonic mucous membrane was grossly normal. The 3-cm-long stenotic lesion was confirmed by colon imaging using water-soluble contrast medium. A biopsy specimen revealed diffuse infiltration of noncohesive malignant cells with round, atypical nuclei from lamina propria to subserosa. Taken together with immunohistochemistry, a diagnosis of metastatic lobular carcinoma from the breast was made, and transverse segmentectomy was done. Colonic metastasis of breast cancer should be included as a differential diagnosis of any abdominal symptoms, even though mild, when patients have a present or previous history of breast cancer.     

Pancreas cystic lymphangioma diagnosed with EUS-FNA

CONTEXT: Endoscopic ultrasound has proved to be an invaluable tool when obtaining high quality images of the pancreas. Furthermore, fine-needle aspiration of suspected lesions can be carried out simultaneously thus providing tissue samples for cytologic diagnosis. We present two cases of a rare pancreatic lesion that were diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration. CASE #1: A 60-year-old asymptomatic gentleman was found to have an incidental pancreatic lesion on abdominal computed tomography scan during a cardiac workup. Patient had no personal or family medical history that would predispose him to pancreatic lesions. Endoscopic ultrasound was performed and patient was diagnosed with pancreatic cystic lymphangioma. CASE #2: A 40-year-old asymptomatic gentleman with history of heavy alcohol use was found to have an incidental pancreatic lesion on computed tomography scan during a work up of chest pain. Computed tomography guided fine-needle aspiration was negative for malignancy but no other studies were performed on the fluid sample at that time. Patient was then referred to our institution after repeat computed tomography scan showed a stable lesion. Endoscopic ultrasound did not show evidence of pancreatitis and fine-needle aspiration was consistent with pancreatic cystic lymphangioma. DISCUSSION: The universally available and escalating use of computed tomography scans has led to an increased detection of incidental cystic pancreatic lesions. Pancreatic cystic lymphangiomas are a rare lesion and account for less than one percent of all pancreatic cystic lesions. These lesions are easily and accurately diagnosed by the use of endoscopic ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration.     

Role of thyroglobulin measurement in fine-needle aspiration biopsies of cervical lymph nodes in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.

The identification of metastatic neck lymph nodes in patients awaiting surgery for differentiated thyroid tumor permits their excision during thyroidectomy. In order to detect thyroid cancer lymphatic metastasis before surgery, we measured thyroglobulin (Tg) in the needle wash-out of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Ultrasound-guided FNAB on enlarged neck nodes was performed in 23 patients awaiting surgery for differentiated thyroid tumor (n = 33 lymph nodes), 47 patients previously thyroidectomized for thyroid tumor (n = 89 lymph nodes), and 60 patients without thyroid disease (n = 94 lymph nodes). Immediately after aspiration biopsy, the needle was rinsed with 1 mL of normal saline solution and Tg levels were measured on the needle wash-out (FNAB-Tg). FNAB-Tg levels were markedly elevated in metastatic lymph nodes both in patients awaiting thyroidectomy (metastatic vs. negative lymph nodes, mean +/- SEM, 16,593 +/- 7,050 ng/mL vs. 4.91 +/- 1.61 ng/mL; p < 0.001) and in thyroidectomized patients (11,541 +/- 7,283 ng/mL vs. 0.45 +/- 0.07 ng/mL; p < 0.001). FNAB-Tg sensitivity, evaluated through histological examination in 69 lymph nodes, was 84.0%. The combination of cytology plus FNAB-Tg increased FNAB sensitivity from 76% to 92.0%. In conclusion, FNAB-Tg measurement is a useful technique for early diagnosis of lymph node metastasis originating from differentiated thyroid cancer.     

Rapidly Progressing Anaplastic Carcinoma of the Pancreas with Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma: An Autopsy Case Report

A 75-year-old man visited our hospital for the examination of a tumor in the pancreas. Computed tomography showed an 85×85-mm low-density tumor in the pancreas. The tumor was pathologically diagnosed as poorly differentiated carcinoma by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration. Although we started chemotherapy, the patient died 84 days after the diagnosis. An autopsy demonstrated a ruptured anaplastic carcinoma with mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the pancreas. Anaplastic carcinoma with mucoepidermoid carcinoma is a very rare histologic subtype of pancreatic carcinoma, so pathological findings are important for predicting the patient''s prognosis. Physicians should be aware of this rare but fatal disease.     

A case of peripancreatic tuberculous lymphadenitis diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration

Tuberculous lymphadenitis is a rare cause of obstructive jaundice. Here, we report the case of a 33-year-old male with obstructive jaundice caused by tuberculous lymphadenitis around the pancreatic head. The patient was born in China and had immigrated to Japan at 12 years of age. He presented with acute abdominal pain and jaundice. Findings from ultrasonography, computed tomography, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography were suggestive of a stenosis of the distal common bile duct caused by multiple low-density masses around the pancreatic head with a contrast-enhanced solid rim. We successfully diagnosed the mass as tuberculous lymphadenitis using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA). The patient was treated with anti-tuberculous combination chemotherapy for 6 months, and subsequently exhibited clinical improvement. Thus, we found that EUS-FNA was a valuable minimally invasive method for diagnosing masses that cause icterus.     

Nonsurgical staging of the mediastinum: EBUS and EUS

A tissue diagnosis is frequently needed for accurate lung cancer staging of mediastinal nodes as well as the assessment of mediastinal masses. Noninvasive imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron-emission tomography (PET), and PET-CT provide some answers but no tissue diagnosis. Transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA), a safe procedure that is performed during routine bronchoscopy, has a high impact on patient management. Unfortunately, TBNA remains underused in current daily practice, mainly due to the lack of real-time needle visualization. The introduction of echo-endoscopes has overcome this problem. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided TBNA (EBUS-TBNA) allows real-time controlled tissue sampling of paratracheal, subcarinal, and hilar lymph nodes. Mediastinal lymph nodes located adjacent to the esophagus can be assessed by esophageal ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA). Owing to the complementary reach of EBUS-TBNA and EUS-FNA in assessing different regions of the mediastinum, recent studies suggest that complete and accurate mediastinal staging can be achieved by the combination of both procedures. It is expected that implementation of minimally invasive endoscopic methods of EBUS-TBNA and EUS-FNA will reduce the need for surgical staging of lung cancer significantly.     

Spontaneous regression of gastric gastrinoma after resection of metastases to the lesser omentum: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUNDGastric gastrinoma and spontaneous tumor regression are both very rarely encountered. We report the first case of spontaneous regression of gastric gastrinoma.CASE SUMMARYA 37-year-old man with a 9-year history of chronic abdominal pain was referred for evaluation of an 8 cm mass in the lesser omentum discovered incidentally on abdominal computed tomography. The tumor was diagnosed as grade 2 neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) on endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration. Screening esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a 7 mm red polypoid lesion with central depression in the gastric antrum, also confirmed to be a grade 2 NEN. Laparoscopic removal of the abdominal mass confirmed it to be a metastatic gastrinoma lesion. The gastric lesion was subsequently diagnosed as primary gastric gastrinoma. Three months later, the gastric lesion had disappeared without treatment. The patient remains symptom-free with normal fasting serum gastrin and no recurrence of gastrinoma during 36 mo of follow-up.CONCLUSIONGastric gastrinoma may arise as a polypoid lesion in the gastric antrum. Spontaneous regression can rarely occur after biopsy.     

Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease Masquerading as Metastatic Papillary Carcinoma of the Thyroid

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease also known as histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis is a rare cervical inflammatory lymphadenitis that is most commonly seen in young Asian women. It is mainly characterized by lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, fever, nocturnal sweats, myalgia, weight loss, and arthralgia, and commonly follows a self-limited course. The differential diagnosis is challenging as many other conditions such as malignant lymphoma, metastatic disease, tuberculosis and infectious lymphadenopathies can present in a similar way. We present an unusual case of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease masquerading as metastatic papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.A 30-year-old young female presented, 2 months post-partum, with complaints of neck pain and fever. A computed tomography scan showed enlarged right-sided lymph nodes and a thyroid nodule. Subsequent biopsy of a thyroid nodule revealed papillary thyroid carcinoma and reactive inflammation in one of the lymph nodes. She underwent an elective total thyroidectomy, central node dissection and a right modified lymph node dissection for enlarged lymph nodes. Her recovery was uneventful and the pathology report was consistent with a papillary carcinoma of the thyroid with one lymph node positive for metastatic disease and several other lymph nodes showing histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis.This coexistence of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease with localized metastatic papillary thyroid cancer is unusual and presents an interesting, challenging, and complex management dilemma.