Endoscopic Ultrasound
What is a Endoscopic Ultrasound ?
Endoscopic ultrasound or echo-endoscopy is a medical procedure in which endoscopy is combined with ultrasound to obtain images of the internal organs in the chest, abdomen, and colon. It can be used to visualize the walls of these organs or to look at adjacent structures.EUS is most commonly used in the upper digestive tract and in the respiratory system. For patients who have, or who are suspected of having pancreatic disease, their doctor may recommend them to undergo EUS.
Why One Needs To Get Endoscopic Ultrasound Done
EUS allows for very detailed imaging and analysis of the digestive tract, for further investigation of abnormal blood tests such as elevated liver function tests (AST, ALT, bilirubin) or elevated pancreatic enzymes.
What Is It Used To Treat?
EUS helps in the evaluation of :
Cancer of the colon, esophagus, lung, pancreas or stomach, and ampullary and rectal cancers.
Lymphoma.
Barrett’s esophagus.
Neuroendocrine tumors.
Pancreatitis and pancreatic cysts.
Bile duct stones.
Cancer of the colon, esophagus, lung, pancreas or stomach, and ampullary and rectal cancers.
When Doctor Suggests To Get Endoscopic Ultrasound?
The doctor advises getting the EUS done to find the cause of symptoms such as abdominal or chest pain, to determine the extent of diseases in your digestive tract and lungs, to evaluate stages of cancer, to evaluate chronic pancreatitis or other disorders of the pancreas and find gallstones.
How To Prepare For the Procedure?
For EUS of the upper gastrointestinal tract, you should have nothing to eat or drink, usually for six hours before the examination. Your doctor will tell you when to start this fasting and whether it is advisable to take your regular prescription medications.
For EUS of the rectum or colon, your doctor will instruct you to either consume a colonic cleansing solution or to follow a clear liquid diet combined with laxatives or enemas prior to the examination. The procedure might have to be rescheduled if you don’t follow your doctor’s instructions carefully.
What Will Happen During the procedure?
During the procedure, the patient is given sedation prior to the procedure. After sedation, the doctor inserts an endoscope into the patient’s mouth or rectum. The doctor will observe the inside of the intestinal tract on a TV monitor and the ultrasound image on a separate monitor. The sound wave testing can be used to locate and help take biopsies if required. The entire procedure usually takes 30 to 60 minutes.