EUS Specialist

What is EUS?

EUS uses high-frequency sound waves to produce detailed images of your upper and lower gastrointestinal (GI) tracts and nearby organs.

To perform an EUS, your provider at Interventional Endoscopy Associates PLLC uses an endoscope, a long, narrow tube equipped with a camera, lighting, and ultrasound probe.

For an upper GI, your provider inserts the endoscope through your mouth and advances it through your esophagus, stomach, and the upper part of the small intestine.

They perform a lower GI EUS by inserting the endoscope through your anus and guide it through the rectum and colon or large intestine.

Your provider can stop the endoscope in any area and send sound waves into the targeted tissues. The sound waves bounce off the structures they encounter and return to the probe. The probe then sends the information to a computer, which creates highly detailed images.

In addition to examining your esophagus, stomach, and small and large intestines, your provider uses EUS to diagnose problems in your pancreas, liver, gallbladder, and pancreatic and bile ducts.

When might I need EUS?

Your provider may recommend an upper-GI EUS to determine the cause of symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, unexplained weight loss, and jaundice. You may need a lower-GI EUS for problems such as rectal bleeding or changes in bowel habits.

EUS produces images used to diagnose conditions such as:

• Pancreatic cysts
  
• Pancreatitis
  
• Bile duct tumors
  
• Bile duct scarring
  
• Pancreatic duct stones
  
• Bile duct stones
  
• Barrett’s esophagus
  
• Enlarged lymph nodes
  
• Liver masses
  
• Colon polyps and tumors
  
• Anal fistulas and abscesses
  
• Inflammatory bowel disease
  

Your provider can use EUS to diagnose pancreatic cancer, as well as cancers of the esophagus, stomach, bile duct, rectum, and colon. The images produced by EUS are also detailed enough to show the stage of gastrointestinal cancers.

What procedure might I receive during EUS?

When you have an EUS, your provider can insert one of two possible specialized needles through the endoscope and withdraw tissue samples. Your provider uses these procedures, called fine-needle aspiration and core needle biopsy, to diagnose cancer.

During an EUS, your provider may also perform other treatments. For example, they may drain cysts or perform nerve blocks.

If you have questions about EUS or need to schedule a procedure, call Interventional Endoscopy Associates PLLC or book an appointment online.