Endoscopic ultrasound: contrast enhancement.
The development of ultrasound contrast agents has allowed for the evaluation of vascularity in digestive organs by contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). Contrast-enhanced Doppler EUS and contrast-enhanced harmonic EUS (CH-EUS) have improved characterization of pancreatic tumors, lymph nodes, and gastrointestinal submucosal tumors and compliment EUS fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in identifying malignant tumors. Moreover, CH-EUS can be used to identify the target for EUS-guided FNA by clearly depicting the outline of the lesions.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohnohigashi, Osakasayama, 589-8511 Japan. m-kitano@med.kindai.ac.jp
Masayuki
M
Kitano
Hiroki
H
Sakamoto
Masatoshi
M
Kudo
D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003287:Contrast Media; D019160:Endosonography; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional
D003287:Contrast Media