EUS guided fine needle aspiration is useful in diagnostic evaluation of indeterminate proximal biliary strictures

Background and Aim: Determination of the etiology of proximal biliary strictures (PBS) still remains a challenge. Even though EUS-FNA is potentially useful, its role in diagnostic evaluation of PBS is still not established due to a lack of sufficient data. We sought to determine the performance characteristics of EUSFNA in patients with obstructive jaundice (ObJ) and PBS. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective analysis and included patients with ObJ and PBS with non-diagnostic brush cytology, who underwent EUS-FNA in our university based practice from March 2002 to February 2009. We evaluated the final diagnoses in study patients and the performance characteristics of EUS-FNA for identifying malignant PBS. Final diagnosis was based on surgical pathology or clinical follow-up of at least 12 months. Results: The study included 28 patients (17 male, 11 female) with mean age of 62.4 ± 14.9 years. The strictures ranged from 10 70 mm in length. CT scan identified a hilar mass in 9 patients. EUS-FNA identified malignancy in 12 patients. 18 patients were finally diagnosed to have a malignant stricture and 10 patients had a benign stricture. There were 6 false negative diagnoses. The accuracy of EUS-FNA for diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma was 78.6%, with 66.6% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 62.5% NPV and 100% PPV. Conclusions: EUS-FNA can diagnose malignancy in 66.6% of jaundiced patients with PBS and non-diagnostic brush cytology and may have a role in their further diagnostic evaluation.