From the Guidelines
Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) stations are essential for the characterization and management of subepithelial lesions (SELs) in the upper GI tract, serving as an adjunct to standard endoscopy 1. The main components of an EUS station include:
- The endoscope with an ultrasound transducer
- An ultrasound processor
- A light source
- A monitor display system These components work together to provide both visual examination of the GI tract and ultrasound imaging of surrounding structures, allowing for detailed imaging of the digestive tract wall and adjacent organs like the pancreas, liver, and lymph nodes 1. Key features of EUS in characterizing SELs include:
- Determining the layer of origin, which has diagnostic and prognostic implications
- Evaluating the echogenicity of the lesion, which can help narrow down the differential diagnosis
- Assessing the size of the lesion and presence of vascular involvement, which can predict malignant potential
- Obtaining tissue samples for diagnosis through fine needle aspiration (FNA) needles 1. The overall sensitivity and specificity of EUS in predicting malignant potential of SEL are 64% and 80%, respectively, highlighting the importance of advanced imaging or tissue diagnosis to improve accuracy 1. EUS stations are typically located in specialized endoscopy suites where the equipment can be properly maintained and where there is adequate space for the procedure team to work efficiently.
From the Research
Endoscopic Ultrasound Stations
- Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has become an important diagnostic and therapeutic tool in various clinical settings 2
- EUS stations utilize echoendoscopes, which can be categorized into radial and linear configurations, with radial devices used for diagnostic imaging and linear echoendoscopes facilitating image-guided tissue sampling and intervention 2
- The high resolution of EUS allows for detailed image-based analysis, and the ability to sample cyst fluid increases the accuracy of lesion characterization 2
- EUS is used in the staging of various upper gastrointestinal tract tumors, and its high-resolution images are invaluable for local tumor staging 2
- EUS-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has become a major breakthrough in the endoscopic field, transforming EUS from a pure imaging modality to a more interventional procedure 3
- EUS-FNA provides a definitive cytological and/or histological evidence of the presence of malignancy, making EUS a more objective procedure 3
- Therapeutic EUS procedures, such as image-guided drainage and coeliac plexus neurolysis, have a high technical and clinical success rate with a low rate of adverse events 4
- A new slim linear echoendoscope has been developed for EUS-guided FNA and biopsy, which has shown to be feasible, safe, and effective in sampling extra-intestinal tumors 5
- EUS-guided fine needle biopsy techniques have been developed to obtain tissue core biopsies, which can substantially contribute to the widespread diffusion of EUS utilization in the community 6