[Endosonography in gastroenterology--an intermediate evaluation].

Endoscopic ultrasonography has widened the diagnostic spectrum of gastrointestinal disorders in two respects: For the first time it became possible to visualize the gastrointestinal wall with its layer structure. EUS was shown to be highly accurate in the local staging of gastrointestinal tumors (T and N stage). The clinical relevance of endosonography derives from stage-dependent treatment protocols selecting patients for different forms of tumor therapy. The second advantage of endosonography is a high-resolution imaging of the pancreas enabling the detection of small lesions (e.g. endocrine tumors). Endoscopic ultrasonography is furthermore the most reliable method for local staging of pancreatic and ampullary carcinoma. The role of endosonography in benign gastroenterological disorders is less well established. With the increasing use of laparoscopic surgery endosonography may become even more important in the future.