[The endosonographic staging of pancreatic carcinoma]

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), conventional ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT) and angiography were compared in their assessment of local resectability in 35 consecutive patients (19 men, 16 women; mean age 49.8 [42-821] years) with non-metastatic carcinoma of the pancreas. The findings were made prospectively and independently of each other. EUS proved to be superior to transabdominal US and to CT in the diagnosis of tumour infiltration of the portal and splenic veins. For the portal vein the sensitivity was 93% by EUS, 14% by US and 36% by CT. Corresponding figures for the splenic vein were 92%, 39% and 69%. EUS was markedly superior to angiography in the diagnosis of portal vein involvement (sensitivity of 93% and 36%, respectively), but the two methods had similar sensitivity regarding splenic vein infiltration (92 and 100%). Tumour involvement of the coeliac trunk was diagnosed with higher sensitivity angiographically (86%) than by EUS (57%), CT (71%) or US (29%). Regarding T and N staging, EUS was superior to both US and CT. These data indicate that EUS is the most accurate method for local tumour staging of potentially resectable pancreatic carcinoma. It can replace angiography in the diagnosis of portal vein infiltration.