Tharian B, Tsiopoulos F, George N, Pietro SD, Attili F, Larghi A. Endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration: Technique and applications in clinical practice. World J Gastrointest Endosc 2012; 4(12): 532-544 [PMID: 23293723 DOI: 10.4253/wjge.v4.i12.532]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Alberto Larghi, MD, PhD, Digestive Endoscopy Unit, Catholic University, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy. albertolarghi@yahoo.it
Article-Type of This Article
Topic Highlight
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World J Gastrointest Endosc. Dec 16, 2012; 4(12): 532-544 Published online Dec 16, 2012. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v4.i12.532
Endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration: Technique and applications in clinical practice
Benjamin Tharian, Fotios Tsiopoulos, Nayana George, Salvatore Di Pietro, Fabia Attili, Alberto Larghi
Benjamin Tharian, Fotios Tsiopoulos, Nayana George, Salvatore Di Pietro, Fabia Attili, Alberto Larghi, Digestive Endoscopy Unit, Catholic University, 00168 Rome, Italy
Author contributions: Tharian B was the main contributing author to the write up and editing of the review article, including collection of references, review of the topic and the final version; Tsiopoulos F, George N, Di Pietro S and Attili F contributed to the article and editing; Larghi A contributed to overview of the article write up, revisions, contributed the pictures, charts and review of the final version.
Correspondence to: Alberto Larghi, MD, PhD, Digestive Endoscopy Unit, Catholic University, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy. albertolarghi@yahoo.it
Telephone: +39-6-35511515 Fax: +39-6-30156581
Received: October 14, 2011 Revised: November 9, 2012 Accepted: December 1, 2012 Published online: December 16, 2012
Abstract
Since its initial report in 1992, endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has now been incorporated into the diagnostic and staging algorithm for the evaluation of benign and malignant diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and of adjacent organs. Its introduction constitutes a major breakthrough in the endoscopic field and has gradually transformed EUS from a pure imaging modality into a more interventional. In addition, the possibility of collecting samples, providing a definitive cytological and/or histological evidence of the presence of malignancy, has strongly contributed to changing EUS from a subjective, highly operator dependant procedure into a more objective one. This article will review the instrumentation, technique and the most important clinical applications of EUS-FNA.
