Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS)

Some tumors of the gastrointestinal tract may be ill-characterized even by Computer Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) due to their anatomical location and behavior. These include submucosal tumors namely leiomyomas and gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST). EUS plays an important role in the management of these tumors as it allows for dynamic assessment of size, characteristics, vascularity, as well as providing a means of obtaining tissue samples for histological assessment. The current international guideline recommends EUS as the preferred method for obtaining tissue cytology from GIST of the upper GI tract (oesophagus, stomach & duodenum).