Endoscopic ultrasonography is a valuable diagnostic tool in patients with incidental findings in the pancreas or bile ducts.

INTRODUCTION

Incidental findings are often seen at computed tomographies (CT). This study describes patients who had an endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) because of an incidental finding in the pancreas/bile duct.

METHODS

Patients referred for EUS between September 2012 and September 2013 because of an incidental finding in the pancreas/bile duct at a CT were prospectively enrolled. After EUS, the findings of this procedure were noted together with the plan for further diagnostic work-up or therapy. A follow-up was made after 6 months and 1 year after EUS was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 47 patients (24 women, 23 men) were registered with an incidental finding. The median age was 69 years (range: 45-83 years). Diagnoses after performing EUS were: normal findings (n = 16), cystic lesion (n = 16), mass lesion (n = 6), inconclusive (n = 6) and other specified (n = 3). The plan after EUS was: no further evaluation (n = 27), referred for new EUS or other imaging procedures (n = 14) and referred for surgery/endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (n = 6). In total, 6 patients proved to have neoplastic diseases in the pancreas. None of the patients who were stopped from further evaluation following EUS later proved to have a malignant disease in the pancreas.

CONCLUSION

EUS is a valuable diagnostic tool in patients with incidental findings in the pancreas/bile duct noted at a CT. Many patients can be stopped from further diagnostic work-up after EUS with a minimal risk of overlooking a malignant disease.

FUNDING

not relevant.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency via Region of Southern Denmark (case no. 13/27,321).