pancreas in pediatric NAFLD.METHODS: Liver biopsy and abdominal ultrasound (US) examinations were performed in 58 children (42 boys, 16 girls; mean age, 12 years; age range, 4–19 years) between March 2006 and August 2017. Fatty liver and fatty pancreas were evaluated by two independent radiologists using US according to 4- and 3-point scales, respectively. We then analyzed the correlations of clinical, laboratory, and histopathologic parameters with the ultrasonographic grade of steatosis.RESULTS: Forty-two children showed simple steatosis (NAFLD activity score [NAS] ≤ 5) while 16 showed NASH (NAS > 5). Higher body mass index (BMI) percentile, waist circumference, hematocrit, insulin resistance, and lower insulin sensitivity index were significantly positively correlated with the grade of fatty liver. NAFLD activity score, amount of steatosis, and fibrosis significantly worsened as the fatty liver grade increased. Higher BMI, lower insulin sensitivity index, and boy were significantly positively correlated with the fatty pancreas grade.CONCLUSION: Altogether, ultrasonographic severity of fatty liver shows good correlation with that of clinical parameters and hepatic pathology.]]>
Academies and Institutes ; Biopsy ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Fatty Liver ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Liver ; Male ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; Pancreas ; Parents ; Pathology ; Prevalence ; Ultrasonography ; Waist Circumference ; Weights and Measures

EUS currently plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of digestive diseases. In addition, EUS-guided sampling has been applied to pancreaticobiliary lesions for the accurate diagnosis of pancreaticobiliary lesions. Many new instruments and studies for EUS-guided sampling are being developed and attempted. This review introduces and summarizes the key recommendations made in the recent guideline for EUS-guided sampling developed by the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Biliary Tract ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Pancreas ; Ultrasonography

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a relatively novel, but increasingly used, diagnostic imaging modality. In recent years, due to its safety, quickness, and repeatability, several studies have demonstrated the accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity of CEUS. The European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology has recently updated the previous guidelines from 2012 for the use of CEUS in non-hepatic applications. This review deals with the clinical use and applications of CEUS for the evaluation of non-hepatic abdominal organs, focusing on renal, splenic, and pancreatic applications.
Biology ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Kidney ; Liver ; Pancreas ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spleen ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to describe the diagnostic yield of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in patients with isolated elevated levels of amylase and/or lipase. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted at a large academic medical center from 2000 to 2016. Patients were selected based on having elevated amylase, lipase, or both, but without a diagnosis of pancreatitis or known pancreatobiliary disease. Patients were excluded if they had abnormal liver function tests or abnormal imaging of the pancreas. RESULTS: Of 299 EUS procedures performed, 38 met inclusion criteria. Symptoms were present in 31 patients, most frequently abdominal pain (87%). In 20 patients (53%), initial EUS most commonly found chronic pancreatitis (n=7; 18%), sludge (5; 13%), or new diagnosis of pancreas divisum (3; 8%). In the asymptomatic patients (7), 3 had a finding on EUS, most importantly sludge (2), stone (1), and pancreas divisum (1). No patients were diagnosed with a mass or pancreatic cyst. During the follow up period, 6 patients (22%) had cholecystectomy. CONCLUSIONS: In our study of patients with isolated elevations in amylase and/or lipase without acute pancreatitis who underwent EUS, approximately 50% had a pancreatobiliary finding, most commonly chronic pancreatitis or biliary sludge.
Abdominal Pain ; Academic Medical Centers ; Amylases ; Bile ; Cholecystectomy ; Diagnosis ; Endosonography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lipase ; Liver Function Tests ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Cyst ; Pancreatitis ; Pancreatitis, Chronic ; Retrospective Studies ; Sewage ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has a limited ability to determine the nature of solid pancreatic lesions (SPLs). Most recent ultrasound processors are provided with elastography software, which allows quantification of the tissue hardness. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the elasticity score (ES) and strain ratio (SR) in the differentiation of benign pancreatic lesions from malignant pancreatic lesions. METHODS: The study had a retrospective design; it included 97 patients with SPLs and 19 patients with inflammatory lesions. The ES and SR were determined during the examination; finally, EUS-guided fine needle aspiration was performed. RESULTS: In this 2-year study, 116 patients were enrolled (97 with malignant lesions and 19 with benign lesions). There were 69 men and 47 women. Their median age was 55.9 years. A cut-off point was detected at SR of 7.75 with a specificity of 99.9%, sensitivity of 90.7%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 99.9%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 67.9%, and accuracy of 92.2%. After adding the ES to the SR, the cut-off point at 7.75 resulted in a specificity of 94.6%, sensitivity of 99%, PPV of 98%, NPV of 98.5%, and accuracy of 97%. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the ES combined with the SR increases the accuracy of differentiation between benign and malignant SPLs and is an effective method for the evaluation of pancreatic masses.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Elasticity ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; Female ; Hardness ; Humans ; Male ; Methods ; Pancreas ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To compare the diagnostic yield of 20-gauge forward-bevel core biopsy needle (CBN) and 22-gauge needle for endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) of solid pancreatic masses. METHODS: The use of 20-gauge CBN was prospectively evaluated for 50 patients who underwent EUS-FNA from June 2016 to December 2016. Data were compared with those obtained by a retrospective study of 50 consecutive patients who underwent EUS-FNA using standard 22-gauge needles between December 2016 and April 2017. At least two punctures were performed for each patient; the sample from the first pass was used for cytology with or without histology and that from the second pass was used for histology. Sample quantity was evaluated using the sample obtained from the second pass. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the diagnostic accuracy rate between the first and second passes (20-gauge CBN: 96% [48/50]; standard 22-gauge needle: 88% [44/50]). Samples >10× power fields in length were obtained from 90% (43/48) and 60% (30/50) of patients using the 20-gauge CBN and standard 22-gauge needle, respectively (p=0.01). Technical failure occurred for two patients with the 20-gauge CBN. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnostic accuracy of the 20-gauge CBN was comparable to that of the 22-gauge needle. However, two passes with the 20-gauge CBN yielded a correct diagnosis for 100% of patients when technically feasible. Moreover, the 20-gauge CBN yielded core tissue for 90% patients, which was a performance superior to that of the 22-gauge needle.
Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration ; Humans ; Needles ; Pancreas ; Prospective Studies ; Punctures ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

Ultrasound elastography (USE) of the pancreas allows pancreatic tissue stiffness assessment by virtual palpation. Two main types of USE are used. For the pancreas strain elastography applying by endoscopic ultrasound has been established for the characterisation of small solid pancreatic lesions (SPL). In larger SPL >30 mm the results are less convincing mainly due to the heterogenicity of the lesions but also by concomitant changes of the surrounding pancreatic parenchyma. The current role of shear wave elastography has to be determined. This article reviews the current use of elastography of the pancreas.
Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; Palpation ; Pancreas ; Ultrasonography

EUS currently plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of digestive diseases. In addition, EUS-guided sampling has been applied to pancreaticobiliary lesions for the accurate diagnosis of pancreaticobiliary lesions. Many new instruments and studies for EUS-guided sampling are being developed and attempted. This review introduces and summarizes the key recommendations made in the recent guideline for EUS-guided sampling developed by the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Biliary Tract ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Pancreas ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: The prognosis of periampullary cancer varies with its origin and early diagnosis influences outcome. Endoscopic ultrasound, computed tomography, fine needle aspiration, and fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸FDG-PET/CT) are helpful for diagnosis. This study evaluates the diagnostic efficacy of ¹⁸FDG-PET for preoperative periampullary tumors.METHODS: A series of 100 patients undergoing ¹⁸FDG-PET/CT before surgical resection of periampullary tumors between March 2011 and February 2019 were enrolled. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels were compared with pathohistological confirmation of periampullary tumors.RESULTS: The SUVmax and uptake range varied with the origin of the periampullary tumors. The SUVmax was not available for 17 of the 42 pancreas tumors, three of 30 common bile duct tumors, and four of 18 ampulla of Vater tumors. The median SUVmax was 0.0 in benign tumors and 5.05 in malignant tumors. The mean SUVmax was 4.1±5.6 in pancreatic tumors, 3.9±2.4 in ampulla of Vater, and 6.0±3.7 in common bile duct. The SUVmax was higher in common bile duct tumors than others. CA19-9 level was of diagnostic value in pancreatic tumor patients. The median CA19-9 levels were 7.64 U/mL (range, 2.71–45.05 U/mL) in benign tumors and 91.97 U/mL (range, 26.91–276.60 U/mL) in cancers patients.CONCLUSION: Preoperative SUVmax and CA19-9 level were of diagnostic value for periampullary tumors originating in the pancreas.
Ampulla of Vater ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; CA-19-9 Antigen ; Common Bile Duct ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Prognosis ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: The aim of this animal study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of a portable, ultrasonography-guided, high-intensity focused ultrasound (USg-HIFU) system to treat the pancreas. METHODS: Eight swine were included. Using a portable HIFU device (ALPIUS 900, Alpinion Medical Systems), ablations were performed on the pancreas in vivo. Different acoustic intensities were applied (1.7 kW/cm2 or 1.5 kW/cm2, n=2 [group A for a pilot study]; 1.5 kW/ cm2, n=3 [group B]; and 1.2 kW/cm2, n=3 [group C]). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed immediately (group A) or 7 days (groups B and C) after HIFU treatment. In groups B and C, serum amylase and lipase levels were measured on days 0 and 7, and performance status was observed every day. Necropsy was performed on days 0 (group A) or 7 (groups B and C) to assess the presence of unintended injuries and to obtain pancreatic and peripancreatic tissue for histological analysis. RESULTS: Ablation was noted in the pancreas in all swine on MRI, and all pathologic specimens showed coagulation necrosis in the treated area. The mean ablation areas on MRI were 85.3±38.1 mm2, 90.7±21.2 mm2, and 54.4±30.6 mm2 in groups A, B, and C, respectively (P>0.05). No animals showed evidence of complications, except for one case of a pseudocyst in group B. CONCLUSION: This study showed that pancreas ablation using a portable USg-HIFU system may be safe and feasible, and that coagulation necrosis of the pancreas was successfully achieved with a range of acoustic intensities.
Acoustics ; Amylases ; Animal Experimentation ; Animals ; Lipase ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Necrosis ; Pancreas* ; Swine* ; Ultrasonography*