How to improve the success of endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of pancreatic lesions.

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is highly accurate for assessing the pancreatic parenchyma and ductal system. Currently, it is the most sensitive imaging procedure for detecting small solid pancreatic masses. EUS-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (EUS-FNA) is a safe and highly accurate tool for the diagnosis of pancreatic malignancy. Prior to perform an EUS-FNA one should wonder whether the benefits outweigh the potential risks of the procedure. Therefore, it is important to take into account whether the procedure will influence patient management. The diagnostic yield and success rate of EUS-FNA in pancreatic lesions varies greatly depending on many factors including: the characteristics of the lesion itself (location of the mass and consistency of the lesion), technical factors (type of needle size, use of stylet, use of suction and number of needle passes performed) and the availability of immediate cytological assessment of the specimen. The aim of this review is to analyze all these factors for optimizing specimen collection and diagnostic efficiency in dealing with solid pancreatic masses.