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. 2019 Sep-Oct;8(5):329-333.
doi: 10.4103/eus.eus_3_19.

Evaluation of a new slim radial echoendoscope: A better option for an aging population

Pietro Fusaroli  1 , Marta Serrani  1 , Andrea Lisotti  1
Affiliations

Evaluation of a new slim radial echoendoscope: A better option for an aging population

Pietro Fusaroli et al. Endosc Ultrasound. 2019 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

Background and objectives: The radial echoendoscope is still widely used for the investigation of abnormalities in the gastrointestinal wall and for stone detection in the extrahepatic biliary tree. Due to aging patient population, EUS is frequently performed in fragile and elderly individuals. We aimed to compare the maneuverability and image quality of a new thin radial echoendoscope to the current one.

Patients and methods: This evaluation was conducted at a referral academic EUS center. The new radial echoendoscope has a thinner shaft and distal tube and a shorter bending section compared to the previous one. Patients referred for diagnostic EUS with a radial echoendoscope were enrolled. Indications included pancreaticobiliary disease, esophagogastric abnormalities, and neoplasms and rectal cancer staging.

Results: We enrolled 177 patients (122 pancreaticobiliary, 48 esophagogastric, and 7 rectal cases). Overall, the new echoendoscope performed better than the previous model in terms of maneuverability during esophageal intubation and transition from the duodenal bulb to the second portion. On the other hand, pylorus traversing was comparable to the current radial echoendoscope. No loss in image quality was appreciated at predefined stations (esophagus, stomach, and duodenum) compared to the current model. On the other hand, image penetration depth in tissue harmonic mode was significantly improved with the new echoendoscope.

Conclusions: A new thinner radial echoendoscope showed improved maneuverability compared to the existing version. Image quality was also improved thanks to increased penetration depth in the tissue harmonic mode. We speculate that this new echoendoscope may allow for safer and faster EUS examination, which may prove useful in an aging patient population.

Keywords: Bending section; EUS; image quality; procedure safety; radial echoendoscope.

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Conflict of interest statement

None

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Head-to-head comparison of the new GF-Y0016-UE (right) with the GF-UE160-AL5 (left). Notice the shorter bending section of the new echoendoscope
Figure 2
Figure 2
Among the earliest publications in EUS were reports about the gastrointestinal wall layer structure
Figure 3
Figure 3
Proceedings of some of the earliest international meetings in EUS
Figure 4
Figure 4
A typical image obtained with the new radial echoendoscope. Pancreatic head cancer (PC) is shown infiltrating the common bile duct (CBD) an the portal vein (PV). The gallbladder (GB) is dilated and contains sludge
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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