Endoscopic Ultrasound: New Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications

5 American Heart Association Updates CPR Guidelines A Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) was originally developed to detect pancreatic tumors in the earliest, most treatable stages. Today, EUS remains the primary method for evaluating and staging pancreatic cancer and has emerged as a valuable tool for assessing people at high risk for the disease. In the past few years, however, the role of EUS has expanded well beyond its use in diagnostic imaging. One of the most important and widely used new applications is EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) cytology. EUS-guided biopsies allow minimally invasive sampling of tissue from tumors and lymph nodes not easily accessible by other methods. According to Mayo Clinic gastroenterologists, EUS-FNA has significantly changed not only the staging and management of gastrointestinal tract tumors but also the mediastinal staging of lung cancer. Although EUS is thought of as a tool for assessing cancers of the digestive system, it is now arguably one of the preferred methods for the preoperative assessment of non–small cell lung cancer, replacing invasive procedures such as mediastinoscopy and thoracoscopy. A definitive trial performed by researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida showed that a combination of EUS-FNA and endobronchial ultrasound-guided FNA can provide nearly complete staging of the mediastinum and is significantly better than previously available methods.