Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) of pancreatic masses is an established procedure for obtaining a pathological specimen. However, application of suction during EUS-FNA is still controversial and the efficacy of the slow-pull technique was recently reported for new core biopsy needles.

The purpose of this study was to compare the suction and slow-pull techniques using regular FNA needles.

The diagnostic yield of the suction and slow-pull techniques was retrospectively studied for patients who underwent EUS-FNA for pancreatic solid lesions.

A total of 367 passes (181 by suction and 186 by the slow-pull technique) were performed during 97 EUS-FNA procedures for 93 patients with pancreatic solid lesions. The slow-pull technique resulted in lower scores for cellularity (≥2 for 37.5 % vs. 76.7 %) but scores for contamination with blood were lower (≥2 for 25.0 % vs. 66.7 %) and sensitivity of diagnosis of malignancy was higher (90.0 % vs. 67.9 %) when a 25-gauge FNA needle was used. There were no significant differences between the two techniques when a 22-gauge needle was used. In multivariate analysis of 82 cases with malignancy, the slow-pull technique (odds ratio (OR) 1.92, P = 0.028), tumor size ≥25 mm (OR 4.64, P < 0.001), and tumor location in the body or tail (OR 2.82, P < 0.001) were associated with greater sensitivity.

The slow-pull technique was associated with less contamination with blood and can potentially increase the diagnostic yield compared with the suction technique in EUS-FNA of pancreatic solid masses, especially with a 25-gauge FNA needle.