Diagnostic Strategies, Risk Assessment and Progression of Pancreatic Cysts
Johns Hopkins University
Summary
The aims of this study are to determine the natural history of pancreatic cysts and to propose and prospectively validate a diagnostic approach and model for prediction of mucinous versus non-mucinous, and malignant versus non-malignant, pancreatic cysts using a combination of clinical, radiologic, and biomarker characteristics.
Description
Pancreatic cysts are increasingly recognized as incidental lesions due to the widespread use of cross-sectional imaging techniques such as CT and MRI. Twenty percent of all pancreatic cysts are non-inflammatory cystic neoplasms, many of which are mucinous, and therefore have a significant potential for malignant transformation. The primary challenge facing clinicians is the inability of current standard diagnostic tests, including imaging and standard laboratory data, to accurately and reliably discriminate neoplastic from non-neoplastic, and benign from malignant cysts, particularly in patien…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Adult patients age 18 years and older * Referred for assessment of a pancreatic cyst. Exclusion Criteria: * Medically ill patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists class 4 or greater. * Inability to provide informed consent. * Pregnancy or lactation.
Location
- The Johns Hopkins HospitalBaltimore, Maryland