Ultrasound tomography in diagnosing cystic pancreatic neoplasms

The clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features of cystic pancreatic lesions are well known, and yet preoperative diagnosis is often difficult to make.

To present the role of ultrasound study in conventional and interventional diagnostics of cystic pancreatic neoplasms.

65 patients (17 men, 48 women) with cystic pancreatic lesions were examined by ultrasound and computer tomography and investigated using a number of diagnostic interventional procedures over three years. We used Siemens-Adara ultrasound system, GE Sytec 3000i CT equipment and a set of biopsy needles and catheters.

We performed ultrasound studies for all 65 patients to determine the structural characteristics of the cystic lesions. Lesions varied in size from 15 to 130 mm in diameter. In 50 patients we used US control to perform the invasive procedures for cytological and histological examination. In 9 cases the invasive procedures were repeated. In 15 cases we preferred to use CT guidance. We were able to detect 46 pseudo cysts, 9 mucinous neoplasms, 6 serous cystadenomas, 3 intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and 2 lymphoepithelial cysts.

Ultrasound tomography is an imaging method of sufficient informative value with respect to the structural characteristics of cystic pancreatic neoplasms. US-guided invasive manipulations of cystic pancreatic lesions are easy to perform, quick and effective diagnostic methods. In some cases punctures and biopsies under CT control appear to be the imaging modality of choice.