Transgastric endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy and flow cytometry of suspected lymphoma of the spleen

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Masses in the spleen can be sampled by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) but the diagnosis of lymphoma using EUS-FNA and flow cytometry has not been reported. We report our experience with transgastric EUS-FNA and flow cytometry in the investigation of patients with suspected lymphoma of the spleen. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients with splenic lesions that had been detected by computed tomography and who were referred for transgastric EUS-FNA over a 3-year period were enrolled in this study. The tissue obtained by EUS-FNA was evaluated by flow cytometry in all patients. RESULTS: Six patients with splenic masses were enrolled (four men, two women; median age 58.5 years, range 41 - 82 years). The mean size of the short axis of the lesions was 37.8 mm (SD 23.76 mm) and the mean size of the long axis was 45.6 mm (SD 31.72 mm). EUS-FNA was performed successfully in all patients and the tissue obtained was evaluated by flow cytometry. Two patients were diagnosed with lymphoma; no pathology was identified in the other four patients. Lymphoma of the spleen appeared as sharply demarcated echo-poor lesions; benign lesions appeared echo-rich in comparison with the surrounding splenic tissue. The two patients who were diagnosed with lymphoma underwent chemotherapy. Of the four patients in whom no pathology was identified, one patient subsequently underwent splenectomy for evaluation of persistent abdominal pain and was diagnosed with lymphoma; the three other patients had true-negative disease on the evidence of long-term follow-up (mean 8 months; range 6 - 12 months). No complications related to the EUS-FNA procedure were encountered in any patient. CONCLUSIONS: EUS-FNA of spleen masses is a safe technique that aids in the diagnosis of lymphoma when used in conjunction with flow cytometry.     

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy of patients with suspected pancreatic cancer: diagnostic accuracy and acute and 30-day complications

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in patients with suspected pancreatic cancer, and to assess immediate, acute, and 30-day complications related to EUS-FNA. METHODS: All patients with suspected pancreatic cancer were prospectively evaluated. A single gastroenterologist performed all EUS-FNAs in the presence of a cytopathologist. Immediate complications were evaluated in all patients. An experienced nurse called patients 24-72 h and 30 days after the procedure. Reference standard for the classification of the final diagnosis included: surgery (n = 48), clinical or imaging follow-up (n = 63), or death from the disease (n = 47). RESULTS: A total of 158 patients (mean age 62.3 yr) underwent EUS-FNA during the study period. The mean tumor size was 32 x 26 mm. The median number of passes was three (range one to 10). Of these patients, 44% had at least one failed attempt at tissue diagnosis before EUS-FNA. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of EUS-FNA in solid pancreatic masses were 84.3%, 97%, 99%, 64%, and 84%, respectively. Immediate self-limited complications occurred in 10 of the 158 EUS-FNAs (6.3%). Of 90 patients contacted at 24-72 h, 78 patients (87%) responded. Of the 90 patients, 20 (22%) reported at least one symptom, all of which were minor except in three cases (one self-limited acute pancreatitis and two emergency room visits, one of which led to admission). In all, 83 patients were contacted at 30 days, and 82% responded. No additional or continued complications were reported. CONCLUSIONS: EUS-FNA is highly accurate in identifying patients with suspected pancreatic cancer, especially when other modalities have failed. Major complications after EUS-FNA are rare, and minor complications are similar to those reported for upper endoscopy. It seems that follow-up at 1 wk might capture all of the adverse events related to EUS-FNA.     

Comparing Needles and Methods of Endoscopic Ultrasound–Guided Fine-Needle Biopsy to Optimize Specimen Quality and Diagnostic Accuracy for Patients With Pancreatic Masses in a Randomized Trial

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Complete diabetes protection despite delayed thymic tolerance in NOD8.3 TCR transgenic mice due to antigen-induced extrathymic deletion of T cells

Prevention of autoimmunity requires the elimination of self-reactive T cells during their development in the thymus and maturation in the periphery. Transgenic NOD mice that overexpress islet-specific glucose 6 phosphatase catalytic subunit-related protein (IGRP) in antigen-presenting cells (NOD-IGRP mice) have no IGRP-specific T cells. To study the relative contribution of central and peripheral tolerance mechanisms to deletion of antigen-specific T cells, we crossed NOD-IGRP mice to highly diabetogenic IGRP206-214 T-cell receptor transgenic mice (NOD8.3 mice) and studied the frequency and function of IGRP-specific T cells in the thymus and periphery. Peripheral tolerance was extremely efficient and completely protected NOD-IGRP/NOD8.3 mice from diabetes. Peripheral tolerance was characterized by activation of T cells in peripheral lymphoid tissue where IGRP was expressed followed by activation-induced cell death. Thymectomy showed that thymic output of IGRP-specific transgenic T cells compensated for peripheral deletion to maintain peripheral T-cell numbers. Central tolerance was undetectable until 10 weeks and complete by 15 weeks. These in vivo data indicate that peripheral tolerance alone can protect NOD8.3 mice from autoimmune diabetes and that profound changes in T-cell repertoire can follow subtle changes in thymic antigen presentation.