Importance of a Good Diagnosis

Pancreatic cysts are being found more frequently because of the improvements in imaging technology Cancerous pancreatic cysts are hard to catch early because they frequently do not cause any early symptoms. Detection usually comes during abdominal examinations for other medical problems. Once a person learns that they have a pancreatic cyst, they should get an examination right away to determine if the cyst is cancerous. This is important since pancreatic cancer is often found late and spreads quickly, making it difficult to treat. VIDEO: Dr. Stephen Pereira, MD, talks about what you need to know about pancreatic cysts Traditional Diagnostic Approaches The major challenge during diagnosis is to determine if a pancreatic cyst is pre-cancerous or cancerous. Certain evaluations, examinations and tests may be done to help with the diagnosis and associated treatment plan. These can include:

• Medical History. Previous experience of abdominal injury or pancreatitis may indicate a pseudocyst (benign cyst).The characteristics and location of the pancreatic cyst, along with age and sex, can help doctors identify the type of cyst.
• CT Scan. Used to provide detailed information regarding the structure of a pancreatic cyst.
• MRI Scan. Used to highlight subtle details of a pancreatic cyst, including whether or not it has solid components.
• Endoscopic Ultrasound. Can provide a detailed image of the cyst and collect fluid for analysis in a laboratory, through a fine needle aspiration (FNA) procedure.

Optical Biopsy of a Pancreatic Cyst

With Cellvizio Optical Biopsy, cellular evaluation of the pancreatic cyst wall is performed during the endoscopic examination.

Cellvizio Optical Biopsy utilizes the world’s smallest microscope and laser imaging technology in conjunction with today’s endoscopic instruments to help doctors to identify tissues at the cellular level during an endoscopic procedure.

Ask your doctor

If you are faced with the challenges of pancreatic cysts and the need to find out if they may be cancerous, ask your physician how Cellvizio Optical Biopsy can help.