Ultrasonically guided percutaneous aspiration biopsy of the pancreas

Clinical practice guidelines for the interventional treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer (5th edition)

Pancreatic cancer has become a major disease affecting people's health because of its insidiousness, rapid progression and poor prognosis. Based on the practical needs of clinical work, combined with domestic multi-center research and experience, this guideline provides constructive suggestions for the interventional treatment of pancreatic cancer.

The roles of Gallium-67 scintigraphy, ultrasonography, and computed tomography in the detection of abdominal abscesses

The evaluation of patients with suspected abdominal abscesses begins with a history and careful physical examination. Gallium-67 (67Ga) scintigraphy, ultrasonography (US), and computed tomography (CT) are utilized only after other routine investigations have failed to localize the abscess. All three modalities are reliable for the detection of abdominal abscesses. The decision regarding which of these three diagnostic tests to use in a particular patient rests upon clinical considerations. If the patient has acute localizing signs and symptoms, 67Ga should not be used initially. In this type of patient, rapid diagnosis is best provided by either US or CT. Further radiologic investigation may be terminated if the CT or US findings are characteristic of an abscess. A 67Ga scan should be performed in a patient with acute localizing signs and symptoms if the initial CT or US is negative. In a patient with nonlocalizing signs and symptoms, 67Ga imaging should be employed as the first procedure since the entire body is easily surveyed. If the 67Ga images are abnormal, then CT or US should be utilized for further lesion characterization. This diagnostic approach will optimize the rapidity of patient evaluation and will minimize diagnostic errors.

Ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of abdominal masses

Twenty-six cases of ultrasonically guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsies of abdominal masses are reported. Included are masses in the pancreas, retroperitoneum, liver, kidney, and pelvis. Aspiration biopsies accurately diagnosed or excluded malignancy in 21 patients (81%). The procedure, performed under local anesthesia, is rapid, simple and almost painless. No complications occurred; specifically, there was no hemorrhage, peritonitis, or spread of tumor along the needle tract.

Ultrasonically guided percutaneous biopsy of peripheral pulmonary masses

Ultrasonically guided percutaneous biopsy and aspiration of solid and cystic structures in the abdomen, neck, and pericardial space are common practice. The technique may be utilized for biopsy of peripheral pulmonary masses in contact with the chest wall, in order to assure accurate placement of the needle in the center of the mass, reduce the risk of pneumothorax, and eliminate the exposure to radiation that occurs with fluoroscopic guidance. Four patients had successful biopsies in this manner, without complications. Histologic studies revelaed malignant neoplasms in three and lipoid pneumonia in one.

An evaluation of echography in the diagnosis of pancreatic disease

In the present study an attempt to evaluate the efficacy of echography as a diagnostic tool has been made. A total of 52 patients (chronic pancreatitis (42); pancreatic cysts (three); and carcinoma of the pancreas (seven)) were studied and the results compared with those from other diagnostic techniques. In 65.7% of chronic pancreatitis patients, and in all cases of carcinoma of the pancreas, echography provided evidence of pancreatic abnormality but in no case could an unambiguous diagnosis of the disease be made. However, in all cases of pancreatic cyst, echography gave precise and unequivocal diagnostic information. There was good agreement between the echographic picture and surgical findings. Cholangiography and duodenography indicated duodenal and choledochal compression in a high proportion of cases in which echography revealed enlargement of the head of the pancreas. It is concluded that echography is a simple, safe, and valuable addition to the techniques available for studying the pancreas.

Interventional radiology

Direct unencumbered visualization of areas of interest by image intensification combined with more invasive techniques of percutaneous puncture and angiography have extended the scope of the radiologist in the diagnosis and management of patients with neoplastic diseases. Percutaneous biopsies can be obtained more safely and with greater reliability from lesions of the lungs, skeleton, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Intravascular therapy by arterial occlusion of the neoplasm has been employed to control hemorrhage, to decrease tumor mass, and preoperatively to facilitate surgical removal. The possibility of initiating an immune response to the ischemic neoplasm is also discussed.