Endoscopic Ultrasonography: A Novel Management Strategy for Pancreatic Diseases

Pancreas is a retroperitoneally located organ, and thus general CT and MRI have a very limited specificity and sensitivity in diagnosing pancreatic diseases. However, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) with a better differential diagnostic capability of detecting pancreatic morphology and properties through gastric wall has been widely accepted by physicians and become one of the first-line methods compared with other techniques. Currently, common technologies used in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic diseases include EUS-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA), EUS-guided drainage, EUS-guided pancreatic cysts ablation, EUS-assisted radiotherapy, and EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS-CPN), etc. Recent innovative applications include contrast-enhanced EUS with Doppler mode, contrast-enhanced harmonic EUS, and EUS elastography. The clinical application of EUS in pancreatic diseases has been overviewed.