Vascular invasion in pancreatic cancer: predictive values for endoscopic ultrasound and computed tomography imaging

To evaluate the accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) to determine vascular invasion in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Data were obtained prospectively from patients with a pancreatic lesion who underwent EUS, computed tomographic (CT) imaging, and surgery from March 2005 to March 2010.

Fifty patients were included with a mean ± SD age 61 ± 11.5 years; 27 (54%) were women. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for EUS were the following: 61.1 (95% CI, 38.6-79.7), 90.3 (95% CI, 75.1-96.7), 78.6 (95% CI, 52.4-92.4), and 80 (95% CI, 64.1-90), respectively. The area under the curve for EUS and that for CT were 0.80 (95% CI, 0.68-0.92) and 0.74 (95% CI, 0.61-0.86), respectively. The positive predictive value for arterial invasion was 100% (95% CI, 61-100) for EUS and 60% (95% CI, 31.3-83.2) for CT. There were no complications associated with the EUS or the CT.

Endoscopic US is a very good option to detect vascular invasion in patients with pancreatic cancer and is especially sensitive for arterial invasion. When it is available, we recommend that it be performed in addition to CT staging.