Cystic Pancreatic Lymphangioma: Diagnostic Role of Endoscopic Ultrasound

• Author(s): Carvalho,Diana ; Costa,Mariana ; Russo,Pedro ; Simas,Luís ; Baptista,Teresa ; Ramos,Gonçalo
• Date: 2016
• Origin: SciELO Portugal
• Subject(s): Lymphangioma; Cystic; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Endosonography
• Document Type: Report
• Language: English

Description

Pancreatic cystic lymphangiomas are rare benign lesions that arise from lymphatic vessels, accounting for less than 0.2% of all pancreatic cysts. Typically it is asymptomatic and discovery occurs during imaging exams for non-pancreatic disease. In the past, a definite diagnosis was made through surgery, with complete resection of all tumoral tissue to prevent recurrence. Nowadays, the development of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) made it possible to identify these cysts combining morphologic ultrasound features, macroscopic aspirated fluid appearance, biochemical and cytological evaluation of the sample. We report two cases of cystic pancreatic lymphangioma diagnosed through EUS, allowing conservative management without surgery. These cases show that cystic pancreatic lymphangioma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic pancreatic lesions and that EUS is an important tool for their recognition.