Endoscopic ultrasonography.
This paper covers the literature published between June 2003 and August 2004 on endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA). During this period, more than 120 original studies were published on the topic, not to mention editorials and case reports--indirect evidence of the ever-increasing importance of EUS in everyday clinical practice. However, due to limitations of space, this review will focus only on a few articles selected for their importance and originality. The studies presented deal either with the outcome of EUS--i. e., its real importance in affecting the choices physicians are faced with in their clinical work--or definitively clarify certain technical issues that have often been a matter of debate at EUS meetings. Finally, a few papers describing new potential diagnostic or interventional applications of EUS are presented. Many other relevant papers in addition to those discussed in detail are cited in the references.
Fusaroli
P
P
Gastroenterology Unit, University of Bologna, Bologna Unit, Italy.
Caletti
G
G
D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019160:Endosonography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009367:Neoplasm Staging