Contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasound using time–intensity curve analysis predicts pathological grade of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm

PURPOSE: Histological grading is important for the treatment algorithm in pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNEN). The present study examined the efficacy of contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasound (CH-EUS) and time-intensity curve (TIC) analysis of PNEN diagnosis and grading. METHODS: TIC analysis was performed in 30 patients using data obtained from CH-EUS, and a histopathological diagnosis was made via EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration or surgical resection. The TIC parameters were analyzed by dividing them into G1/G2 and G3/NEC groups. Then, patients were classified into non-aggressive and aggressive groups and evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients were classified as G1/G2, and four as G3/NEC. From the TIC analysis, five parameters were obtained (I: echo intensity change, II: time for peak enhancement, III: speed of contrast, IV: decrease rate for enhancement, and V: enhancement ratio for node/pancreatic parenchyma). Three of these parameters (I, IV, and V) showed high diagnostic performance. Using the cutoff value obtained from the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the correct diagnostic rates of parameters I, IV, and V were 96.7%, 100%, and 100%, respectively, between G1/G2 and G3/NEC. A total of 21 patients were classified into the non-aggressive group, and nine into the aggressive group. Using the cutoff value obtained from the ROC analysis, the accurate diagnostic rates of I, IV, and V were 86.7%, 86.7%, and 88.5%, respectively, between the non-aggressive and aggressive groups. CONCLUSION: CH-EUS and TIC analysis showed high diagnostic accuracy for grade diagnosis of PNEN. Quantitative perfusion analysis is useful to predict PNEN grade diagnosis preoperatively

For Vol.70, No.5 pp405-408 A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Efficacy of Rectal Diclofenac and Sublingual Nitrate as a Combined Prophylactic Treatment for Post-ERCP Pancreatitis

In the article by Tomoda T et al. entitled “A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Efficacy of Rectal Diclofenac and Sublingual Nitroglycerin as a Combined Prophylactic Treatment for Post-ERCP Pancreatitis”, which appeared in the October 2016 issue, Vol. 70, No. 5, pp405-408, the word “nitroglycerin” should be corrected to “nitrate” throughout the manuscript

Utility of Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration in the Diagnosis of Local Recurrence of Pancreaticobiliary Cancer after Surgical Resection

Background/Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA; EUS-FNA) allows for diagnostic tissue specimens from various regions to be analyzed. However, diagnosing recurrent pancreaticobiliary cancer after surgery is sometimes difficult. We evaluated the efficacy of EUS-FNA in the diagnosis of local recurrence of pancreaticobiliary cancer and analyzed the factors associated with falsenegative results. Methods: Fifty-one consecutive patients who underwent EUS-FNA due to suspected recurrence of pancreaticobiliary cancer after surgery in an academic center were retrospectively analyzed. The criteria for EUS-FNA were a resected margin or remnant pancreas mass, round swollen lymph node (≥10 mm in diameter), and soft-tissue enhancement around a major artery. Patients with suspected liver metastasis or malignant ascites were excluded. Results: Thirty-nine of the 51 patients had pancreatic cancer; the remaining 12 had biliary cancer. The target sites for EUS-FNA were the soft tissue around a major artery (n=22, 43%), the resected margin or remnant pancreas (n=12, 24%), and the lymph nodes (n=17, 33%). The median size of the suspected recurrent lesions was 15 mm (range, 8 to 40 mm). The overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of EUS-FNA for the diagnosis of recurrence was 84% (32/38), 100% (13/13), and 88% (45/51), respectively. FNA of the soft tissue around major arteries (odds ratio, 8.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.2 to 166.7; p=0.033) was significantly associated with a falsenegative diagnosis in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions: EUS-FNA is useful for diagnosing recurrent cancer, even after pancreaticobiliary surgery. The diagnoses of recurrence at soft-tissue sites should be interpreted with caution

A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Efficacy of Rectal Diclofenac and Sublingual Nitroglycerin as a Combined Prophylactic Treatment for Post-ERCP Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is the major complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). A preliminary research suggested that the administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with nitroglycerin might reduce the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) more effectively than NSAIDs alone. We conduct a two-arm, multicenter, prospective, randomized, superiority trial to evaluate the additional effect of nitroglycerin for prevention of PEP. A total of 900 patients randomly receive 50 mg diclofenac suppository either alone or with 5 mg isosorbide dinitrate sublingual tablet. The primary endpoint is the occurrence of PEP. This study will clarify whether NSAIDs plus nitroglycerin can prevent PEP

Diagnosing Pancreatic Tumors Using Contrast-enhanced Harmonic Endoscopic Ultrasonography with Sonazoid

Contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography (CH-EUS) with contrast agent enabled us to assess the hemodynamics closely, despite limited data in pancreatic tumors. We have initiated a prospective, single arm, and non-randomized study to clarify the accuracy and safety of CH-EUS with Sonazoid and time-intensity curve (TIC) analysis for diagnosing benign or malignant pancreatic tumors. A total of 200 patients will undergo CH-EUS and TIC analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis will be used to determine the optimal parameter cutoff values for TIC analysis. This will clarify whether CH-EUS and TIC can further improve the diagnosis of pancreatic tumors over conventional EUS

A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study Comparing EUS Sonopsy CY(R) and 22-gauge Biopsy Needles for Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Fine-Needle Aspiration of Solid Pancreatic Mass Lesions

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a standard procedure for precise histological diagnosis of pancreas tumors, but it is sometimes difficult to obtain adequate specimens. EUS Sonopsy CY® is a newly designed needle with original features. This randomized study will compare the tissue collection rate of EUS Sonopsy CY® to that of a conventional needle in EUS-FNA. The major eligibility criteria are as follows: Patients with a pancreatic mass referred for EUSFNA; age ≥20 years, and performance status＜4. The primary outcome is the tissue collection rate. This study will elucidate the efficacy of EUS Sonopsy CY®

Des-γ-carboxyl prothrombin is associated with tumor angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract Background and Aims

Loss of runt-related transcription factor 3 expression leads hepatocellular carcinoma cells to escape apoptosis

Background: Runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) is known as a tumor suppressor gene for gastric cancer and other cancers, this gene may be involved in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: RUNX3 expression was analyzed by immunoblot and immunohistochemistry in HCC cells and tissues, respectively. Hep3B cells, lacking endogenous RUNX3, were introduced with RUNX3 constructs. Cell proliferation was measured using the MTT assay and apoptosis was evaluated using DAPI staining. Apoptosis signaling was assessed by immunoblot analysis. Results: RUNX3 protein expression was frequently inactivated in the HCC cell lines (91%) and tissues (90%). RUNX3 expression inhibited 90 +/- 8% of cell growth at 72 h in serum starved Hep3B cells. Forty-eight hour serum starvation-induced apoptosis and the percentage of apoptotic cells reached 31 +/- 4% and 4 +/- 1% in RUNX3-expressing Hep3B and control cells, respectively. Apoptotic activity was increased by Bim expression and caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation. Conclusion: RUNX3 expression enhanced serum starvation-induced apoptosis in HCC cell lines. RUNX3 is deleted or weakly expressed in HCC, which leads to tumorigenesis by escaping apoptosis

Successful removal of impacted large bile duct stones using electrohydraulic lithotripsy with an ultraslim endoscope after Billroth II gastrectomy

The diagnostic and therapeutic effectiveness of combined double-balloon endoscopy (DBE) using a short endoscope and peroral direct cholangioscopy with an ultraslim endoscope for altered gastrointestinal anatomy has been demonstrated [1][2][3][4][5]. This method offers the following advantages over mother–baby cholangioscopy for bile duct stone treatment: single-operator use, wide working channel, favourable cost performance, and high image resolution. We treated impacted large bile duct stones using electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) and an ultraslim endoscope in a patient who had undergone Billroth II gastrectomy. A 75-year-old man was referred to our hospital for treatment of bile duct stones. He had undergone Billroth II gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Complete stone removal at the previous hospital was difficult, and a plastic stent had been placed. Abdominal computed tomography showed large stones stuck in the bile duct (largest stone diameter, 25 mm) ([Fig. 1]). We therefore planned to use EHL to crush the stones ([Video 1])