Contrast-Enhanced Endoscopic Ultrasonography (CE-EUS) in Solid Tumors of the Pancreas: Results of a Pilot Study

Quantitative Contrast-Enhanced Harmonic Endoscopic Ultrasonography for the Discrimination of Solid Pancreatic Masses

“…In some studies this pattern was considered a predictive factor for malignancy [19,20]. It differentiated adenocarcinoma from hyperenhanced neuroendocrine tumors [18], although a hyperenhanced pattern of pancreatic adenocarcinoma was also reported, as also seen in our group [21,22]. In our study, a qualitative visual hypoenhanced pattern after contrast medium injection could not differentiate between a benign mass of chronic pancreatitis and adenocarcinoma in contrast to another study on 38 patients which considered a hypoenhanced appearance to be the only variable predictive of malignancy in focal pancreatic solid lesions [19].…”

“…The hypoenhanced inhomogeneous pattern was seen more frequently in the chronic pancreatitis group (6 /12), but was also seen in the adenocarcinoma group (4 /15). Some other authors confirm this [22]. Indeed, another study has reported heterogeneous enhancement in three of four cases of adenocarcinoma, but in none of three patients with chronic pancreatitis [18].…”