Review for 10.1186/s12876-019-1035-8 (2019)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: A prospective study on endoscopic ultrasound for the differential diagnosis of serous 
cystic neoplasms and mucinous cystic neoplasms  
 
Version: 0 Date: 02 Apr 2019  
 
Reviewer: Kuan -Chih Chen  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors highlighted the importance to make difference between MCNs and SCNs via 
prospective study design, and they identified four useful characteristics to discern these two. 
However, there are still some questions raised here:  
  
1.Did you encounter any complication related to EUS examination or operation?  
 
2.Because SCNs have extremely low malignant potential, is that ethical to put such kind of 
patients under the risk of operation?  
 
3.Whenever talking about diagnostic EUS, interobserver agreement is always an important issue 
for generalisability, is that f easible for you to conduct additional external validity to confirm the 
diagnostic performance of this new criteria?  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in t he manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statisti cs 
 
Quality of wr itten English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content o f the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any  non-financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
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