title: [The value of endoscopic ultrasonography in the study of submucosal tumors of the digestive tract].
abstract: Twenty-one consecutive patients with 24 possible submucosal lesions of the digestive tract were studied. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) differentiated between 17 true positive submucosal tumors and 3 true negative extrinsic compressions. False positives were interpreted in 3 cases and in one patient no lesion was echoendoscopically observed (false negative). The sensitivity was 94%, the specificity 50% and the positive and negative predictive values were 82% and 75%, respectively. In conclusion, EUS may be the method of choice for the study of submucosal tumors since it allows visualization of the five layers of the wall of the digestive tract in which a tumor may originate, determination of its sonographic features, depth and exact size, in addition to the invasion of neighboring organs. Moreover, EUS may aid in collecting material for cytology and microscopy by fine needle aspiration puncture (FNAP) by EUS.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Endoscopia Digestiva, Hospital General de Cataluña, Centro Médico Teknon, Barcelona.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Varas Lorenzo
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Maluenda
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pou
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abad
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turró
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Espinós
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004379:Duodenal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019160:Endosonography; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
vernacular_title: Valor de la ultrasonografía endoscópica en el estudio de los tumores submucosos del tracto digestivo.