Detection of celiac ganglia with radial scanning endoscopic ultrasonography.
OBJECTIVE
It has been recently reported that celiac ganglia can be identified by linear-array endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). Still, there has been no report on the detection rate of celiac ganglia with radial scanning EUS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the detection rate of celiac ganglia by radial scanning echoendoscopy during a routine examination.


METHODS
We prospectively enrolled 57 consecutive patients (23 men, 34 women; mean age 54 years, range 21-78 years) who were referred for EUS examination from September 2006 to December 2006. EUS was performed using a radial scanning echoendoscope. The size, location and EUS appearance of the celiac ganglia were recorded for each patient.


RESULTS
Celiac ganglia were identified in 51 out of 57 patients (89.4%). They were identified at the left side of the celiac trunk and aorta and between the celiac artery and the left adrenal gland. They appeared as hypoechoic, oblong or lobulated structures, often with an irregular edge, and they often contained a hyperechoic focus or strand. The mean size was 18 mm by 4 mm. Structures corresponding to the visualized celiac ganglia were retrospectively identified on CT scans in 33 among the 37 patients (89.2%).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study showed that celiac ganglia could be identified, with radial scanning EUS, in the majority of subjects.
Ha
Tae-In
TI
Departments of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
Kim
Gwang-Ha
GH
Kang
Dae-Hwan
DH
Song
Geun-Am
GA
Kim
Suk
S
Lee
Jun-Woo
JW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019160:Endosonography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed