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Endoscopic ultrasound: moving from diagnostics to therapeutics.

J Dig Dis. 2008 Aug;9(3):117-28

Authors: Ang TL

Endoscopic ultrasound was initially introduced in the 1980s as a diagnostic modality using echoendoscopes with radial scanning that permitted reconstruction of cross-sectional images similar to computed tomography The close proximity of the ultrasound transducer to the gastrointestinal wall and retroperitoneal structures allowed a detailed examination that is not possible with cross-sectional imaging such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. It proved to be highly accurate and useful in the staging of gastrointestinal malignancies, as well as in characterizing the nature of subepithelial lesions and disorders of the pancreaticobiliary system. The introduction of linear echoendoscopes facilitated fine needle aspiration because, with linear scanning, it was able to trace the path of the tip of the needle during the puncture process. In addition to being very useful for tissue acquisition for diagnostic purposes, the principles behind endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration paved the way for the development of therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound. Substances could now be delivered by endoscopic ultrasound into targeted areas, an example being an endoscopic ultrasound-guided celiac plexus block and neurolysis. In addition, the endoscopic ultrasound-guided puncture of fluid collections, abscesses and obstructed biliary and pancreatic ductal systems facilitated the passage of guidewires, thus allowing therapeutic drainage procedures to be performed using the Seldinger technique. This review summarizes the diagnostic capability of endoscopic ultrasound and then moves on to elaborate in detail its therapeutic capability and potential.

PMID: 18956589 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Related Articles

MRCP vs. ERCP in the evaluation of biliary pathologies: review of current literature.

J Dig Dis. 2008 Aug;9(3):162-9

Authors: Hekimoglu K, Ustundag Y, Dusak A, Erdem Z, Karademir B, Aydemir S, Gundogdu S

OBJECTIVE: Recently developed magnetic resonance (MR) techniques permit fast and correct imaging of the entire biliary tree with a high spatial resolution. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic potential of one of these new MR sequences in magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) procedure and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with review of current literatures. METHODS: A total of 295 patients were enrolled in this study prospectively. Of these, 11 were excluded from the study due to inadequate MRCP image quality and 15 more were excluded due to unsuccessful cannulation during ERCP. Thus, finally 269 patients (124 men and 145 women with a mean age of 57 years; range: 23-92 years) were included. The MRCP procedure was performed before the ERCP in all cases. All MRCP studies were performed with recently developed new MR technique using a heavily T2-weighted turbo spin echo (TSE) sequence. This TSE sequence is currently one of the most widely used multiplanar 3-D MR technique, having a high spatial resolution and fast imaging capacity. RESULTS: The study participants were classified into four main groups; normal into group I, stone disease into group II, tumor into group III and others into group IV. Group I consisted of 228 patients who had a normal pancreaticobiliary tree on both the MRCP and ERCP examinations. In group II there were 18 patients, for whom the MRCP had a 88.9% sensitivity and a 100% specificity for diagnosing biliary stone disease. Its positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy rates were 100%, 99.2% and 99.2%, respectively. The MRCP had a 100% sensitivity and a 100% specificity for 20 patients in group III. It also had 100% PPV, 100% NPV, and 100% total accuracy rates in this group. In three patients in group IV, the MRCP had a 100% sensitivity and specificity, respectively. Its PPV, NPV and accuracy were 100%, 100% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: MRCP is used with increasing frequency as a non-invasive alternative to ERCP and the diagnostic results of MRCP with a heavily T2-weighted TSE MR sequence and ERCP are comparable with high accuracy in various hepatobiliary pathologies.

PMID: 18956595 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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