Abstract
Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in 67 patients with esophageal carcinoma was performed to make a diagnosis of the depth of carcinomatous invasion. Thirty-four cases including 36 lesions among 67 cases were evaluated for the diagnosticity of EUS as to the depth of carcinomatous invasion by comparing with the histological findings of the resected specimens. The results were as follows ; (1) The overall accuracy of diagnosis with EUS for the depth of its invasion was 58% (21/36). The diagnostic accuracy during the early period of this study was 22% (2/9), and was 90% (19/27) during the late period. (2) Macroscopically, the depth of its invasion in all protruded types were accurately diagnosed, but the accuracy of the diagnosis for the depth of its invasion in superficial types and ulcerative types was inferior to that of protruded types. (3) The causes of misdiagnoses for the depth of its invasion in a0 cases were that it was unable to detect the lesion of carcinoma limited to the muscularis mucosae, and that it was difficult to visualize the lower layer because it had been compressed by massive cancer in the upper layer. (4) All of a1-3 cases but one were accurately diagnosed. (5) The scanning method in the air-free water using the balloon whitch prevent the regurgitation of the air-free water was a safe and useful technique for the diagnosis of ao cases.
