Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology for diagnosis above and below the Diaphragm

Endosonography ultrasound (EUS) is a minimally invasive technology using a high‐frequency ultrasound transducer that is incorporated into the tip of a conventional endoscope. This technique permits high‐resolution imaging of the gastrointestinal wall and structures in its vicinity, as well as real‐time endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)‐guided fine needle aspiration (FNA). This is a review of the literature on EUS‐guided FNA of the mediastinal and abdominal lymph nodes, the pancreas, intramural gastrointestinal masses, and other miscellaneous organs and body cavities. EUS‐guided FNA is a recently developed procedure that has established itself as a safe, highly accurate, and clinically useful modality. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 33:401–411, 2005