ERCP - Methods of tissue sampling

There are several methods for obtaining tissue samples from the pancreaticobiliary tract during endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography. Confirmation of histology is often necessary to guide subsequent therapy. In this review, several techniques are described, including exfoliative cytology, brush cytology, endobiliary forceps biopsy, and endobiliary fine-needle aspiration. In addition, digital image analysis and molecular genetic analysis are discussed. This review of all the above tissue sampling and analysis techniques also provides practical advice, and highlights more recent studies, which suggest that the diagnostic yield from tissue obtained at endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography is increased with multimodal tissue sampling. © 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Duke Scholars

Author Paul Simon Jowell Medicine, Gastroenterology