Definitive diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors using fine-needle aspiration-puncture guided by endoscopic ultrasonography

Background: the detection and diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is challenging. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) has a significant role in the detection of NETs suspected from clinical manifestations or imaging techniques, as well as in their precise localization and cytological confirmation using EUS-Fine-needle aspiration-puncture (FNA). Objective: to assess the usefulness and precision of EUS-FNAP in the differential diagnosis and confirmation of NETs, in a retrospective review of our experience. Patients and methods: in a total of 55 patients with suspected NETs who underwent radial or sectorial EUS, 42 tumors were detected in 40 cases. EUS-FNA using a 22G needle was performed for 16 cases with suspected functional (hormonal disorders: 6 cases) and non-functional NETs (10 cases). Ki 67 or immunocytochemistry (ICC) testing was performed for all. There was confirmation in 9 cases (5 female and 4 male) with a mean age of 51 years (range: 41-81 years). All tumors were located in the pancreas except for one in the mediastinum and one in the rectum, with a mean size of 19 mm (range: 10-40 mm). Results: there were no complications attributable to FNA. Sensitivity was 100% and both precision and PPV were 89%, as a false positive result suggested a diagnosis with NET during cytology that surgery finally revealed to be a pancreatic pseudopapillary solid tumor. Conclusions: EUS-FNA with a 22G needle for NETs has high sensitivity and PPV at cytological confirmation with few complications.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gornals,Joan, Varas,Modesto, Catalá,Isabel, Maisterra,Sandra, Pons,Carlos, Bargalló,Domingo, Serrano,Teresa, Fabregat,Joan
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva 2011
Online Access:http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1130-01082011000300003
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