Percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsy during endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography.

In 12 non-icteric patients, changes in the pancreatic duct indicative of carcinoma were found during endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP). Percutaneous fine-needle biopsy was positive for cancer in six cases. Nine of the 12 patients were later proved to have carcinoma of the pancreas. There was one falsely negative biopsy but no false positives. In two cases no pancreatic cells were found in the smear. It seems that percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsy during ERCP is a feasible procedure and can be recommended in ductal changes indicative of carcinoma.