title: Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound, computed tomography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in the detection of pancreatic cancer in patients with jaundice or cholestasis.
abstract: A prospective study of jaundiced and/or cholestatic patients (N = 220) was carried out to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the detection of pancreatic cancer. Thirty-one patients had the final diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and two patients had a cancer of the papilla of Vater. The sensitivities of US, CT and ERCP were 60%, 97%, 89% and specificities were 92%, 92%, 94%, respectively. The differences in sensitivity between US and other methods were statistically significant (US vs. CT p less than 0.01, US vs. ERCP p less than 0.05). In US studies, most false negative results were caused by unsatisfying visualization. On the basis of this study, we recommend CT as a diagnostic test of pancreatic cancer, if pancreatic cancer is suspected as a cause of jaundice and/or cholestasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pasanen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Partanen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pikkarainen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alhava
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pirinen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Janatuinen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007565:Jaundice / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014465:Ultrasonics