title: Clinical analysis of ectopic pancreas with endoscopic ultrasonography: an experience in a medical center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the endosonographic features of gastrointestinal ectopic pancreas, especially when histopathological diagnosis is unachievable with nonsurgical modalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Endoscopic ultrasonography was performed in 20 patients with endoscopically recognized ectopic pancreas. We then analyzed the endosonographic features of the lesions and the clinical aspects of the patients, including age, gender, symptoms, and lesion locations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Endoscopic ultrasonography revealed that the lesions originated from the second, third, and/or fourth layers of the gastrointestinal wall. Most lesions (95%, 19/20) were heterogenous, mainly hypoechoic or mixed, in echogenicity. The borders of the lesions were indistinct in 13 (13/20, 65%) and distinct in 7 (7/20, 35%) patients. Anechoic cystic or tubular structures within the lesions appeared in 7 of the 20 lesions (35%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ectopic pancreas usually appears as a submucosal lesion with characteristic central dimpling. Furthermore, characteristic endoscopic ultrasonographic features can readily assist in the diagnosis of ectopic pancreas without having to perform endoscopic biopsy or surgery. However, either endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration or endoscopic removal of lesions should still be considered mandatory for the differential diagnosis of ectopic pancreas whenever typical endosonographic features cannot be well demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, North District, Taichung 40447, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Sheng-Hung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen-Hsin
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chun-Lung
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Jen-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Chung-Hu
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Cheng-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Mei-Due
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002828:Choristoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004378:Duodenal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D019160:Endosonography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology