Clinical histories, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) material, and immunohistochemical stains performed on cell block samples of 6 solid-pseudopapillary tumors of the pancreas (SPTPs) were reviewed in the cases of 5 females (13-58 years) and 1 man (57 years); all had abdominal pain. Preliminary cytologic diagnoses at endoscopy included 1 SPTP 2 low-grade neoplasms, and 3 pancreatic endocrine tumors. Variable numbers of branching fragments with central capillaries and myxoid stroma were seen in the smears of 5 of 6 cases but were more apparent in the cell block material of all cases. The cells had bland nuclear features and rare grooves. Extensive necrosis was noted in 1 case and rare mitotic figures in 1. SPTPs showed strong cellular immunoreactivity for vimentin and focal weak keratin reactivity. Neuron-specific enolase, alpha1-antitrypsin, and alpha1-antichymotrypsin stains performed in 2 cases were strongly positive. Subsequent surgical resection confirmed all diagnoses. EUS-guided FNA diagnosis of SPTP is accurate. The characteristic branching papillae with myxoid stroma are best seen in cell block slides. Clinical setting, cytomorphologic features, and immunostains of the cell block help distinguish SPTP from pancreatic endocrine tumors, acinar cell carcinoma, and papillary mucinous carcinoma.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a proven modality for the diagnosis of primary pancreatic neoplasms. We describe our experience in diagnosing nonprimary pancreatic tumors by EUS-FNA. Cytology files were searched for all EUS-FNA of the pancreas for the period 2000-2002. All cases diagnosed as neoplasms were selected and those diagnosed as nonprimary pancreatic tumors were reviewed and analyzed. One hundred ninety-one of 468 cases were diagnosed as neoplasms. Eleven of these cases were diagnosed as nonprimary pancreatic tumors (2.4% of all diagnoses and 5.7% of all neoplasms). The diagnoses were supported by clinical history (n = 7), cytological findings (n = 11), cell block histology (n = 11), cell block immunohistochemistry (n = 6), and flow cytometry (n = 1). EUS-FNA is a safe and minimally invasive method for the diagnosis of nonprimary pancreatic neoplasms. Evaluation of clinical history, cytomorphology, and ancillary techniques, especially those applied to cell block material, are essential for accurate diagnoses.

All clinically and ultrasonographically suspected examples of intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) aspirated during a 17-month period were reviewed and analyzed for follow-up. We identified 18 cases of suspected IPMN in patients 52 to 87 years old. All patients had dilated pancreatic ducts, with 3 showing sonographically apparent intraductal papillary lesions; 5 had adjacent cystic or solid pancreatic masses. Cytologic preparations showed thick, glistening, viscid, abnormal mucus in all cases. Aspirates from 13 lesions (72%) were acellular or sparsely cellular, but entrapped single or loosely cohesive neoplastic cells were identified in 16 cases (89%). Goblet cell morphologic features were common (6/18 [33%]), but papillary clusters and dysplastic changes were infrequent (3 [17%] each). In keeping with current therapeutic thinking, confirmatory histologic follow-up was available for only 4 patients (22%), as most people with lesions clinically, sonographically, and cytologically consistent with IPMN are elderly and often have comorbid conditions. Although endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration has important limitations, gross and cytologic findings can aid in confirming the suspected diagnosis, and integration of complete clinical, sonographic, and cytologic information may be the best way to reach the most accurate diagnosis possible.

This preliminary experience suggests that EUS-guided pancreatic duct aspiration is safe and can provide diagnostic material in a significant number of patients with unexplained pancreatic duct dilation.