title: Intraarterial ultrasound in pancreatic cancer: feasibility study and preliminary results.
abstract: Despite technological advances in computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging, the involvement of the celiac or mesenteric artery in pancreatic cancer remains uncertain in many cases. Infiltration of these vessels is important in making decisions about therapy choices but often can only be definitively determined through laparotomy. Local (intraarterial) ultrasound may increase diagnostic accuracy. Using the Volcano intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) system, we applied a transfemoral method to scan the celiac and mesenteric arteries directly intraarterial. This technique was used in five patients with suspected pancreatic cancer. Technical success was achieved in all cases. In one case, a short dissection of the mesenteric artery occurred but could be managed interventionally. In tumors that did not contact with the vessels, IVUS was unable to display the tissue pathology. Our main interest was the infiltration of the arteries. In one case, infiltration was certain in the CT scan but uncertain in two patients. In the latter two cases, IVUS correctly predicted infiltration in one and freedom from tumor in the other case. In our preliminary study, IVUS correctly predicted arterial infiltration in all cases. IVUS did not provide new information when the tumor was far away from the vessel. Compared with IVUS in the portal vein, the information about the artery is more detailed, and the vessel approach is easier. These results encouraged us to design a prospective study to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of this method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Medicine, University Heart Center, Martinistr 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. alarena@uke.de
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Larena-Avellaneda
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Timm
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kickuth
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kenn
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Steger
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jurowich
authors.forename: Christoph-Thomas
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Germer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002445:Celiac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*