How is EUS used in the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer?
EUS-FNA is the preferred diagnostic procedure for pancreatic cancer with a sensitivity of 80% to 85% and specificity near 100%.
This compares favorably with CT-guided FNA, with a sensitivity of 62% to 81%. Accuracy of locoregional staging is comparable for CT, MRI, and EUS.
EUS is superior for detection of portal vein invasion, whereas pancreatic protocol CT better visualizes superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and superior mesenteric vein (SMV) involvement.