Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a technique using sound waves known as ultrasound during an endoscopic procedure to look at or through the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. This technique allows physicians to see organs and structures not typically visible during gastrointestinal endoscopy, such as the layers of the gastrointestinal tract wall, the liver, pancreas, lymph nodes and bile ducts.
Under continuous real-time ultrasound guidance, a thin needle can be advanced into these structures to obtain a sample of the tissue. This technique is known as a fine needle aspiration (FNA). The cells obtained from the FNA can be analyzed for abnormalities such as cancer. EUS with FNA has revolutionized our ability to diagnose and stage cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, Barretts esophagus (a result of heartburn/acid reflux or GERD) and assess the pancreas.
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