Endoscopic ultrasound
What is EUS ?
Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a minimally invasive procedure to assess digestive (gastrointestinal) and lung diseases. A special endoscope uses high-frequency sound waves to produce detailed images of the lining and walls of your digestive tract and chest, nearby organs such as the pancreas and liver, and lymph nodes.
When combined with a procedure called fine-needle aspiration, EUS allows your doctor to sample (biopsy) fluid and tissue from your abdomen or chest for analysis. EUS with fine-needle aspiration can be a minimally invasive alternative to exploratory surgery.
EUS techniques are also used in certain treatments, such as draining pseudocysts.
Why it's done
EUS is used to find the cause of symptoms such as abdominal or chest pain, to determine the extent of diseases in your digestive tract and lungs, and to evaluate findings from imaging tests such as a CT scan or MRI.
EUS may help in the evaluation of:
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Cancer of the colon, esophagus, lung, pancreas or stomach, and ampullary and rectal cancers
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Lymphoma
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Barrett's esophagus
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Neuroendocrine tumors
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Pancreatitis and pancreatic cysts
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Bile duct stones
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Sarcoidosis
Risks
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Bleeding
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Infection
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Tearing (perforation) of the intestinal wall or throat
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Pancreatitis, if fine-needle aspiration of the pancreas is done
