Evaluation of endoscopic ultrasonography for the diagnosis of submucosal tumors of the esophagus.

Endoscopic ultrasonography was carried out on 55 patients whose X-ray films or endoscopic examinations indicated the presence of a submucosal tumor. Endoscopic ultrasonography revealed 8 cases of extraluminal compression and 48 cases of submucosal tumors. Histological studies were performed on 29 cases with submucosal tumors. In 28 of the 29 cases (97%) the location of the tumor in the esophageal wall was correctly estimated ultrasonographically, and appropriate treatment was selected. Tumors ranging from 3 to 50 mm in diameter could be measured accurately. This method may be helpful in follow-up studies. Endoscopic ultrasonographic findings, such as characteristics of the tumor border and internal echoes, were studied to predict the histological diagnosis of the tumor. Leiomyoma, cyst, granular cell tumor, lipoma, and intraluminal metastasis of esophageal cancer were all found to have specific ultrasonographic findings indicating the histological nature of the tumor.