title: Endoscopic ultrasonography: Transition towards the future of gastro-intestinal diseases.
abstract: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is a technique with an established role in the diagnosis and staging of gastro-intestinal tumors. In recent years, the spread of new devices dedicated to tissue sampling has improved the diagnostic accuracy of EUS fine-needle aspiration. The development of EUS-guided drainage of the bilio-pancreatic region and abdominal fluid collections has allowed EUS to evolve into an interventional tool that can replace more invasive procedures. Emerging techniques applying EUS in pancreatic cancer treatment and in celiac neurolysis have been described. Recently, confocal laser endomicroscopy has been applied to EUS as a promising technique for the in vivo histological diagnosis of gastro-intestinal, bilio-pancreatic and lymph node lesions. In this state-of-the-art review, we report the most recent data from the literature regarding EUS devices, interventional EUS, EUS-guided confocal laser endomicroscopy and EUS pancreatic cancer treatment, and we also provide an overview of their principles, clinical applications and limitations.
authors: Stefania De Lisi, Department of Gastroenterology, A.O. Fatebenefratelli e Oftalmico, 20121 Milan, Italy.
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: De Lisi
authors: Stefania De Lisi, Department of Gastroenterology, A.O. Fatebenefratelli e Oftalmico, 20121 Milan, Italy.
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Giovannini
mesh_terms: D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D061765:Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration; D019160:Endosonography / Q000379:methods*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis
keywords: Biliary drainage; Confocal laser endomicroscopy; Endoscopic ultrasonography; Endoscopic ultrasonography fine-needle aspiration; Pancreatic cancer treatment