Echo-enhanced ultrasound--a new imaging modality for the differentiation of pancreatic lesions.
BACKGROUND
Echo-enhanced ultrasound is a newly available mode of imaging for differential diagnosis of pancreatic tumours. Ductal carcinomas are often hypovascularised compared with the surrounding tissue. Neuroendocrine tumours, on the other hand, are hypervascularised lesions. Tumours associated with pancreatitis have a different vascularisation pattern depending on inflammation and necrosis. Cystadenomas frequently have many vessels along the fibrotic strands.


RESULTS
Data from prospective studies have demonstrated, on the basis of these imaging criteria, that the sensitivity and specificity of echo-enhanced sonography for differentiation of pancreatic masses are >or=85 and >or=90%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Pancreatic tumours have a different vascularisation pattern in echo-enhanced ultrasound. These characteristics can be used with high diagnostic accuracy for differential diagnosis.
Rickes
Steffen
S
Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectiology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany. steffen.rickes@medizin.uni-magdeburg.de
Malfertheiner
Peter
P
D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003536:Cystadenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003537:Cystadenoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography