Wellmont Health System's endoscopic ultrasound – or EUS – is the newest and most effective technology in diagnosing and staging cancers of the digestive tract.
EUS allows for faster procedures and results, providing patients with diagnostic answers and peace of mind.
What are the benefits of endoscopic ultrasound?
Endoscopic ultrasound, available at Holston Valley Medical Center and Bristol Regional Medical Center, enables gastroenterologists to evaluate a wide range of conditions earlier. And earlier diagnosis of conditions typically means they can be more easily and successfully treated.
A minimally invasive diagnostic tool that allows physicians to see internal organs without making an incision, endoscopic ultrasound combines two well-known procedures – endoscopy and ultrasound – to create three-dimensional images. Using this technology, physicians can diagnose abnormalities, tumors and other conditions in various areas of the body.
- Blood vessels
- Digestive tract, including the esophagus, stomach, small bowel and colon
- Gallbladder or bile duct
- Lymph nodes beneath the intestinal wall
If cancer or another illness is found using endoscopic ultrasound, patients have access to treatment by a wide range of experts, including experienced interventional radiologists at the Wellmont Cancer Institute.
Getting started with endoscopic ultrasound
Patients should speak with their primary care physician if they have questions about their health status or endoscopic ultrasound. In situations where endoscopic ultrasound may prove beneficial, a physician referral can be provided for patients to see one of Wellmont's EUS experts.