Application of ultrasonographic endoscopy combined with ultrasonic probe for gastric lesions

We studied stomach lesions by a ultrasonic probe (OLYMPUS, ULTRASONIC PROBE XUM-4R), which was able to insert through the biopsy channel (2.2mm in diameter) of a ultrasonographic endoscope. The method of the ultrasonic probe combined with the ultrasonographic endoscope (so-called, miniature probe in EUS) improved clinical diagnosis of tiny or minute lesions, because we can easily observe both ultrasonograms taken by the ultrasonic probe and the endoscopie ultrasonograph simultaneously. By this method, some cases of the lesions which were difficult to scan by the ultrasonographic endoscope, were easily observed by the ultrasonic probe. But, in general, the ultrasonograms with the ultrasonographic endoscope were better than those with the ultrasonic probe. Clear images were not obtained for deeper portions of the stomach with an ultrasonic probe because the frequency of ultrasonic waves was high. For these reasons, it was thought that the ultrasonic probe together with the ultrasonographic endoscope was one of the useful methods to examine gastric lesions.