Subepithelial masses of the gastrointestinal tract evaluated by endoscopic ultrasonography (original) (raw)

2002, European journal of ultrasound : official journal of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology

To diagnose and characterize subepithelial lesions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract using endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and search for markers of malignancy in stromal cell tumors. Fifty-four patients with suspected subepithelial lesions at endoscopy were examined using miniature ultrasound probes, integrated ultrasound endoscopes, or both. Surgical treatment was considered if a solid lesion had a maximum diameter of at least 3 cm, mixed echogenicity, or an ill-defined or irregular border. EUS disclosed 37 solid lesions and ten fluid-filled structures. In seven patients, including two with protrusion from a normal spleen, no pathology could be demonstrated. Thirteen patients were operated and 41 were observed clinically with (n = 9) or without EUS (n = 32) for a median follow-up period of 36 months. Twenty-three patients had an intramural stromal cell tumor. None of these were malignant, but increased mitotic activity was found in two medium-sized resected tumors with mixed ech...