Review
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World J Gastrointest Oncol. Nov 15, 2014; 6(11): 420-429
Published online Nov 15, 2014. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v6.i11.420
Usefulness of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration in the diagnosis of hepatic, gallbladder and biliary tract Lesions
Ghassan M Hammoud, Ashraf Almashhrawi, Jamal A Ibdah
Ghassan M Hammoud, Ashraf Almashhrawi, Jamal A Ibdah, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, United States
Author contributions: Hammoud GM and Almashhrawi A wrote the manuscript; Ibdah JA edited and revised the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Jamal A Ibdah, MD, PhD, Professor and Director, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Missouri-Columbia, 230 Jesse Hall, Columbia, MO 65212, United States. ibdahj@health.missouri.edu
Telephone: +1-573-8820482 Fax: +1-573-8844595
Received: July 28, 2014
Revised: October 3, 2014
Accepted: October 23, 2014
Published online: November 15, 2014
Abstract

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the liver is a safe procedure in the diagnosis and staging of hepatobiliary malignancies with a minimal major complication rate. EUS-FNA is useful for liver lesions poorly accessible to other imaging modalities of the liver. EUS-guided FNA of biliary neoplasia and malignant biliary stricture is superior to the conventional endoscopic brushing and biopsy.

Keywords: Endoscopic ultrasound, Fine needle aspiration, Hepatocellular carcinoma, Bile duct stricture, Gallbladder, Cholangiocarcinoma, Biliary drainage

Core tip: The present article reviews the usefulness of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in patients with focal liver and biliary tract lesions. We conducted MEDLINE search using the terms “endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration”, “focal liver lesions” and “biliary tract lesions”, “EUS and biliary stricture”, EUS and focal liver mass”, “EUS and cholangiocarcinoma” and “EUS and gallbladder” to retrieve articles published between 1999 to 2014.