Endoscopic ultrasonography

Abstract

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is nowadays a clinically relevant technology and its findings can have a major impact on patient management. This technique is currently indicated for staging digestive cancers, assessment of submucosal tumors, diagnosis of intestinal wall infiltrative diseases, common bile-duct stones and gut neuroendocrine tumors. As far as neoplasms are concerned, EUS appears to be a reliable and safe technique, thus making the physician able to plan either an aggressive surgical treatment, or a conservative palliative therapy. This is of the utmost importance in order to optimize medical-related costs, and to make the best therapeutic decision for each individual patient. EUS is also helpful in monitoring the course of a disease, as it is simple and virtually without complications. When EUS findings are not sufficient for a complete diagnosis, it is now possible to perform an EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy, which can allow a cytological diagnosis. Finally, some therapeutic endosonography-guided procedures are being increasingly adopted, such as cystoenterostomy, celiac plexus neurolysis, cholangio-pancreatography and selective injection of botulinum toxin in the muscle layer of the lower esophageal sphincter.