Instruments and accessories for diagnostic endoscopic ultrasound (radial scanning and miniprobes)

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a relatively new technology developed in the early 80's, but introduced into the clinical practice only in the late 80's. Nowadays there is an increase in demand for EUS examinations and services, because this technique is more and more recognized as an important and integral part in the diagnostic and staging algorithm of many gastrointestinal (GI) and nongastrointestinal pathologies. Even if today the EUS panorama enrich itself with a large number of different instruments, mechanical and electronic scopes, radial and linear ones, several types of miniprobes and specialty probes, for diagnostic purposes the dedicated radial scanning instruments remain the more adopted choice while miniprobes can have applications only in niche areas, like superficial GI cancers staging, small subepithelial lesions evaluation or intraductal ultrasound and some technological advances are needed to solve the potential drawbacks of this miniaturized probes. At last the EUS equipment borrowed most of the electronic sophistication from the mainstream ultrasonography, this made the choice of an EUS instrument even more difficult and challenging, but you must consider that there is no right or wrong equipment, there is only the right instrument for that specific clinical need or situation.