Incidental pancreatic lesions- role of EUS- FNA

Erwin Santo MD
Head, Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases
Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel

Definition: An asymptomatic lesion detected incidentally by an imaging or biochemical test.

The practice of medicine has incorporated and essentially mandated the liberal use of cross sectional imaging. Consequently there is a growing number of incidentally discovered abnormalities of the pancreas. There is a variety of such lesions: cysts, masses, abnormalities of the pancreatic duct which can be benign, premalignant or malignant.

The role of the gastroenterologist is to interpret the significance of the findings on imaging in the context of the clinical situation.

Most of the incidental solid lesions are adenocarcinomas/neurorendocrine tumors and the cystic lesions IPMNs and serous

The rate of malignancy or that of lesions with malignant potential is high.

The relevant literature will be presented together with an algorithm of the approach to the patient with a suspected pancreatic

mass. The diagnosis of the cystic lesions and the pivotal role of EUS with FNA will be thoroughly discussed.