Endoscopic Ultrasound

What is Endoscopic Ultrasound?

Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) is a procedure that is typically performed under anesthesia. It is an internal ultrasound that can be performed alongside a traditional Upper Endoscopy (EGD), for the purpose of evaluating the organs adjacent to the stomach and duodenum – namely the pancreas, bile tubes, gallbladder, ampulla, and liver. It can also evaluate the walls/lining of the gastrointestinal tract for small abnormalities. The procedure is typically performed at Digestive Health Centers to evaluate many different disease processes and symptoms such as masses of the GI tract, pancreatitis, unexplained abdominal pain, gallstones, common bile duct stones, and cysts.

How Does Endoscopic Ultrasound Work?

Endoscopic ultrasound is a medical procedure that combines two technologies to give our gastroenterologists a detailed view inside the body. It uses a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope, which has a camera and an ultrasound device attached at its tip. This tube is inserted into the body through the mouth or another opening. The ultrasound part sends out high-frequency sound waves that bounce off internal organs and tissues.

A computer then converts these echoes into detailed images, allowing doctors to closely examine areas like the stomach, pancreas, or gallbladder without surgery.

It’s a bit like a tiny submarine using sonar to explore the body, helping doctors diagnose problems that might not show up on regular scans.

What is Endoscopic Ultrasound Used For?

Several typical reasons for our GI doctors recommend an Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS):

To evaluate chronic abdominal pain
To evaluate chronic diarrhea
To evaluate abnormalities (“lumps and bumps”) found in the walls of the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum found on endoscopy or imaging
To evaluate chronic pancreatitis
To evaluate pancreatic cysts
To screen for pancreatic cancer in select high-risk populations
To evaluate for stones that may be present or stuck in the bile and/or pancreatic tubes

How to Prepare for My Endoscopic Ultrasound?

Preparation for an endoscopic ultrasound is similar to the recommendations made for an upper endoscopy. Good news – you don’t have to drink any laxatives! We just need an empty stomach to perform the exam efficiently and safely. Your doctor will typically recommend that you stop eating solid foods at 6pm the day prior to your exam, and stop drinking as well starting at midnight. Depending on the reason the exam is being performed, you may be asked to obtain laboratory testing or imaging prior to your EUS exam.

What to Expect After Your Endoscopic Ultrasound

One of the unique parts of this exam is that you may receive most of the results right when you wake up! Endoscopic Ultrasound is a real-time imaging exam, and the doctor performing the exam interprets the images as they are obtained, allowing for results to be given at the bedside immediately after the exam. If any biopsies are obtained, it may take 1-2 weeks to receive those results.

Similar to endoscopy, there are a small percentage of patient who may experience a sore throat after the exam from tube being inserted through the mouth. This is typically self-limited and resolved within 24 hours, but those patients with sore throats are recommended to use throat lozenges/anesthetics for comfort for the first 24 hours.