What is EUS?
Endoscopic ultrasonography will allow your doctor to examine your esophageal and stomach linings as well as the walls of your upper and lower gastrointestinal tract. The upper tract consists of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum and the lower tract includes your colon and rectum. Endoscopic ultrasonography is also used to study other organs that are near the gastrointestinal tract, including the lungs, liver, gall bladder and pancreas.
Why is EUS performed?
Endoscopic ultrasonography provides your doctor with more information than other imaging tests by providing detailed images of your digestive tract. The porcedure is also done to diagnose certain conditions that may cause abdominal pain or abnormal weight loss.
EUS is also used to evaluate known abnormalities, including lumps or lesions, which were detected at a prior endoscopy or were seen on x-ray tests, such as a computed tomography scan. EUS provides a detailed image of the lump or lesion, which can help your doctor determine its origin and help treatment decisions.
How should I prepare for my EUS procedure?
For an EUS of your upper gastrointestinal tract, you should have nothing to eat or drink, usually for six hours before the examination.
For an EUS of your rectum or colon, you should consume a colonic cleansing solution or to follow a clear liquid diet combined with laxatives or enemas prior to the examination. The procedure might have to be rescheduled if you don’t follow your instructions carefully.
What can expect for during my procedure?
During your EUS examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract, the doctor will spray your throat with a local anesthetic before the test begins. You will begin by lying on your left side. After you receive sedatives, the doctor will pass the ultrasound endoscope through your mouth, esophagus and stomach into the duodenum. The instrument does not interfere with your ability to breathe. The actual examination generally takes less than 60 minutes.
For your EUS examination of the lower gastrointestinal tract, you’ll receive a sedative if the examination will be prolonged or if the doctor will examine a significant distance into the colon. You will start by lying on your left side with your back toward the doctor. Most EUS examinations of the rectum generally take less than 45 minutes.