Diagnostic Yield of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiography and of EUS-guided Fine Needle Aspiration Sampling in Gallbladder Carcinomas

Background: Obtaining histological evidence of gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is difficult due to its extraductal nature, and pathological confirmation remains challenging. We compared the diagnostic value and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) with endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) in patients with suspected GBC.

Patients: Eighty-three patients with GBC were evaluated. Prior to definitive management, pathological evidence of GBC was obtained through either ERC cytopathologic sampling (n = 33), EUS-FNA (n = 24) or both (n = 26).

Results: Among the 83 patients, 59 (71.0%) with biliary obstruction were sampled using ERC with 47.4% (28/59) sensitivity. In 19 of the remaining 31 cases, EUS-FNA sampling had 100% diagnostic sensitivity. Likewise, 50 (60.2%) of the 83 patients with suspected GBC underwent EUS-FNA of regional lymph nodes or the gallbladder (GB) mass itself with 94.8% sensitivity. The overall diagnostic sensitivity rates of ERC and EUS-FNA were 47.4 and 96%, respectively (P < 0.001). Post-procedural complications were seen in 6.7% of the ERC group (4/59, all were mild pancreatitis), and in none of the EUS-FNA group (P = 0.10).

Conclusions: Gallbladder carcinoma sampling using ERC and EUS-FNA should be incorporated into the diagnostic workup of GB lesions as complementary tools, and EUS-FNA should be applied in the setting of failed or not indicated ERC.