Objectives Endoscopic ultrasound through‐the‐needle biopsy (EUS‐TTNB) is a useful tool for differential diagnosis among pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs). Cystic fluid cytology (CFC) is recommended by guidelines, but its diagnostic accuracy is about 50%. The aim of this meta‐analysis is to assess the clinical impact of EUS‐TTNB in terms of technical success (TS), histological accuracy (HA) and diagnostic yield (DY). Methods Original studies in English language on EUS‐TTNB were searched in MEDLINE and EMBASE until October 2019. Diagnostic accuracy of EUS‐TTNB for identification of mucinous PCLs was calculated using individual diagnostic data of patients who underwent CFC and surgery. Results Nine studies, including 454 patients who underwent EUS‐TTNB, met the inclusion criteria for the meta‐analysis. TS and HA of EUS‐TTNB were, respectively, 98.5% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 97.3%–99.6%) and 86.7% (95%CI 80.1–93.4). DY was 69.5% (95%CI 59.2–79.7) for EUS‐TTNB and 28.7% (95%CI 15.7–41.6) for CFC. Heterogeneity persisted significantly high in most of subgroup analyses. In the multivariate meta‐regression, cyst size was independently associated with higher DY. Sensitivity and specificity for mucinous PCLs were 88.6 and 94.7% for EUS‐TTNB, and 40 and 100% for CFC. Adverse events rate was 8.6% (95%CI 4.0–13.1). Conclusions This meta‐analysis shows that EUS‐TTNB is a feasible technique that allows a high rate of adequate specimens to be obtained for histology; in about two‐thirds of patients a specific histotype diagnosis could be assessed. The number of adverse events is slightly higher respect to standard EUS‐FNA, but complications are very rarely severe.

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Pocket-size ultrasound devices (PSUD) are now widely available becoming a useful tool for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. We aim to investigate the accuracy of PSUD in diagnosing cholelithiasis as compared to traditional ultrasonography. Moreover, we tested the reliability of PSUD when performed by inexperienced internal medicine residents after a short-term training. We consecutively enrolled inpatients and outpatients referred to undergo abdominal ultrasonography for signs or symptoms of gallbladder diseases in two different hospitals. Every patient underwent two independent examinations with PSUD by both expert (EXP) and nonexpert operators (N-EXP), and a conventional examination with traditional abdominal ultrasound (AUS). Every naive operator underwent a short-term training with a 2-h theoretical lesson, and a practical training focused on gallbladder under expert operator supervision. Overall, 146 patients were consecutively enrolled. Considering conventional AUS as the reference standard, sensitivity and specificity of EXP were, respectively, 93.75 and 100%. Sensitivity and specificity of N-EXP were, respectively, 75 and 91.25%. Nevertheless, when considering outpatients, PSUD has a high diagnostic accuracy even when performed by N-EXP with sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 88%. PSUD is a reliable tool for the diagnosis of cholelithiasis when used by expert operators potentially reducing the need for further diagnostic tests. It can even be successfully used by non-expert operators in outpatients setting after a short focussed training.

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