United Health Services, a healthcare system network based in Binghamton, N.Y., has adopted endoscopy ultrasonography to view the GI tract, according to Press & Sun-Bulletin.
Here are five takeaways:
1. Endoscopic ultransonography is an advanced approach that allows a gastroenterologist to examine a patient's esophageal and stomach linings, as well as the walls of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract.
2. EUS is also used to study other organs that are near the gastrointestinal tract, including the lungs, liver, gall bladder and pancreas.
3. 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 CT scan.
4. EUS provides a detailed image of the lump or lesion, and can be used to diagnose diseases of the pancreas, bile duct and gallbladder when other tests are inconclusive.
5. UHS is a regional leader in the diagnosis, staging and treatment of a wide range of cancers and other conditions of the gastrointestinal tract.