To evaluate the application value of intraoperative ultrasonic elastography in the evaluation of pancreatic texture.

Clinical data of 19 patients who underwent intraoperative shear-wave elastography (SWE) examination in Beijing Luhe Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from September 2019 to July 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. Among them, 8 patients were male and 11 female, aged from 58 to 76 years, with a median age of 66 years. According to different primary diseases, all patients were divided into periampullary tumor group (n=10) and control group (n=9). Young's modulus of the pancreatic neck by SWE was detected by intraoperative ultrasound, and the range of Young's modulus of pancreatic SWE was investigated. The correlation between intraoperative Young's modulus of pancreas by SWE and preoperative pancreatic CT value was analyzed. Correlation analysis was performed by Spearman's correlation analysis.

The median value of intraoperative Young's modulus of pancreatic SWE was 13.4(11.5, 17.7) kPa, including 16.0(11.4, 19.2) kPa in the periampullary tumor group and 13.2(11.5, 15.6) kPa in the control group. The difference was not statistically significant (Z=-0.164, P=0.905). Preoperative plain CT scan value of the pancreas was 34±12, and intraoperative SWE value of the pancreas was negatively correlated with plain scan CT value (r_s=-0.555, P=0.014).

Intraoperative Young's modulus of the pancreas by SWE can be utilized as an index to quantify and preliminarily assess the texture of pancreas.