Endoscopic ultrasound: Current roles and future directions

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Medical Imaging
• Interventional Endoscopy

Background:

• Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) emerged in the 1980s, primarily for fine needle aspiration guidance.
• Over the past 25 years, EUS applications have significantly expanded for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of current EUS applications.
• To highlight the advancements in EUS technology for tissue characterization and intervention.
• To discuss future directions in EUS modalities.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature and clinical practices involving EUS.
• Discussion of advanced EUS techniques including elastography and vascular imaging.
• Exploration of diagnostic and therapeutic EUS procedures.

Main Results:

• EUS is now utilized for lesion drainage, visualization, characterization, injection, surgery, and vascular intervention.
• Advanced modalities like elastography allow detailed tissue characterization.
• Real-time microscopic examination ensures optimal targeting and diagnosis during EUS-guided procedures.

Conclusions:

• EUS has transformed into a sophisticated tool beyond basic tissue density differentiation.
• Continuous technological development promises further exponential growth in EUS capabilities.
• EUS offers precise targeting and characterization for a wide range of gastrointestinal conditions.