Contrast enhanced endoscopic ultrasound in the diagnosis of pancreatic metastases

Aim: Less than 5% of pancreatic masses represent metastases and differentiation from primitive tumors using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is difficult. The aim of our work was to assess the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasound (CH-EUS) for pancreatic metastases. Material and methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with pancreatic metastasis identified during a 8 year period in a tertiary medical center. Results: We included in the study 20 patients evaluated with EUS and CH-EUS. The primary tumor was localized in the kidney (6 cases), lung (5 cases), colon (3 cases), skin (2 patients) and stomach, breast, ovary and liver (1 patient each). Only 11 patients (55%) (kidney, lung, liver, ovary or skin metastases), presented hypervascularity at EUS and arterial hyperenhancement on CH-EUS, with similar diagnostic value. All renal metastases were hyperenhanced (the negative predictive value 100%) and the stomach, colon and ovary metastases were hypoenhanced. The fast wash-out of contrast substance was encountered in all cases or renal, pulmonary and digestive metastases, but with 53.3-64.3% specificity for the different origin of pancreatic metastases. Conclusions: The vascularity assessments on conventional EUS or CH-EUS are similar for pancreatic metastases of different origin. EUS tissue acquisition remains mandatory for the diagnosis.

Automated summary

The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasound (CH-EUS) for pancreatic metastases. The results showed that vascularity assessments on conventional EUS or CH-EUS are similar for pancreatic metastases of different origin. However, EUS tissue acquisition remains mandatory for the diagnosis.