Endoscopic ultrasound elastography: Current status and future perspectives

Figure 1 Benign and malignant pancreatic masses on endoscopic ultrasound elastography. A: A pancreatic teratoma is shown as heterogeneous soft (green) pattern (left: EUS elastography image; right: B-mode image); B: A pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma appears stiffer (blue) than the adjacent normal pancreatic parenchyma, probably due to the presence of fibrosis and marked desmoplasia.

Figure 2 Combination of elastography and contrast-enhanced ultrasound in endoscopic ultrasound. A: A pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is demonstrated as a heterogeneous hard (blue) pattern; B: On contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is hypo-enhancing.

Figure 3 Malignant Lymph nodes on endoscopic ultrasound elastography. A malignant lymph node is revealed as predominantly hard (blue). Arrows indicate infiltration. LN: Lymph node.

Figure 4 Endoscopic ultrasound elastography adds information to the B-mode evaluation of lymph nodes and can better guide a fine needle aspiration procedure by identifying stiffer (blue in the image) and thus, most suspicious regions for malignant infiltration. Arrow indicates needle tip.

Figure 5 Gastric carcinoma is shown as heterogeneously stiff pattern (blue) on endoscopic ultrasound elastography.

Figure 6 Gastrointestinal stromal tumor is revealed heterogeneous hard (blue) pattern on endoscopic ultrasound elastography.

Figure 7 Benign adrenal gland tumor is typically soft (green) on endoscopic ultrasound elastography (A) and hyper-enhancing on contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound (B).